Yay to all of the parents and kiddos out there who made it through the first week of school during all things covid-19. It was such a transition in routine for everyone here but Mía rocked it and I only shed a few tears... alone... while washing dishes! I mean, I was expecting to be way more emotional about the whole thing! 🙈
The biggest challenge for me was getting into the daily lunchbox planning and packing routine, but we are starting to get into a good groove with Mía's school schedule. For her lunchbox she chose a pink yumbox because it is her favourite colour and I liked it because it has an easy-to-open latch and a removable tray for easy cleaning. The size of the yumbox is great because its big enough for her lunch but small enough to fit inside most lunch bags and boxes. We like the panino layout because she is really into sandwiches and wraps right now and this compartment is the perfect size for a sandwich.
Pro tips... from a non-pro but it’s working so I’m sharing!
Talk to your kiddos about the lunchtime routine at their school and them comfortable with knowing what’s up. How much time will they have? Where will they be eating?
Let them practice eating lunch at home with their new gear so they get used to unpacking their bag, opening the boxes and packing it back up when they are done.
Ask them what they would like to see in their lunch and get them involved with either making or packing their own lunch boxes. Being apart of the decision making and getting their hands on their own food will make it more likely that they will eat and love their lunch.
I try to have at least one or two items that she likes a lot so I can feel good knowing she ate some of her lunch if she is feeling picky about one or two of the other items. This also gives the opportunity for you to try a new main or snack into their lunch options moving forward.
This is the most important tip... take the pressure off of them! You don’t want to shame them into eating their lunch or worse, making them feel that they have to hide it when they didn’t eat everything. Tell them it’s okay to not eat everything sometimes and to just tell you so that you can come up with another option together for the next time. I celebrate on the days that she does finish everything and when she doesn’t, I don’t make a big deal out of it.
Okay, now let’s get onto the lunch ideas! In this video I’ve packed Mia’s lunchbox with five meal ideas for you to try out with your kiddos.
Day 1:
Mac and Cheese cups - make your favourite mac and cheese and before you scoop it in stir in a bit of grated cheese so that the pasta sticks together a bit better in the pan. I like to top with a bit of cheese and pop it in the oven at 375 for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the tops start to crisp a bit. You can store a few in the fridge for another lunch or freeze them for future use!
Apple Slices - to keep them from turning brown you can toss them in a bit of lemon water
Cucumber slices - I typically remove some of the peel for her
Day 2:
Ham and cheese crustless sandwich - I shave off the crust on her sandwiches because I find she wastes more sandwich trying to eat around the crust.
Carrot sticks
Grapes
SmartTreats fishes - a little treat... that is actually low in sugar!
Day 3:
Mini Pizzas - English muffin halves with pizza sauce, sliced pepperoni and shredded cheese. Pop in the oven at 375 for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted to your child’s liking.
Apple Slices
Bell Pepper slices
Day 4:
Crackers, Ham, and Cheese - our version of the classic Lunchable
Apple Slices
Grapes
SmartTreats fishes - a little treat... that is actually low in sugar!
Day 5:
Banana Rolls - Whole wheat tortilla with wow butter and a banana. Easy, delish and peanut free for school!
Babybel cheese - who doesn’t love these?
Cucumber and carrot sticks
There you have it, a week of lunch ideas! I mean, I’m sure I didn’t astonish you with anything groundbreaking but sometimes seeing it all laid out makes planning your week easier. As you can see, I tried to keep the snacks fairly consistent with lots of repeats of things that I know she will always eat. The main compartment for us if where we like to change things up and moving forward will be a spot for some leftovers from the night before. I hope you enjoyed this quick post on lunches and let me know if you tried any of the ideas out! Oh, and I just bought some of these fun veggie cutters and food picks so the next video may be cuteness overload! 🙈
xo
Thanh
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