How To Pack Nutritious Lunches For Your Kids

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Your child’s lunch choices are important as they help elevate their blood sugar levels and release the energy needed for the rest of the day. Seeing its importance, packing their lunches makes sense. This is because you control what ingredients go into their meals, preventing them from eating unhealthy things. Furthermore, your kids can enjoy various food options they may not get at the school cafeteria. However, it's one thing to pack lunches and another for them to eat. Here's how to pack nutritious and tasty meals that your kids will enjoy. 

1. Involve your kids in the process 

Admittedly, you know what foods are best for your children and may be tempted to choose them. However, this may prove challenging, especially if you have picky eaters. Therefore, involving them in the process can encourage them to eat their food. Moreover, it's a great way to teach them to be responsible for their nutrition, and they're likelier to choose healthier food options. You can let them accompany you to the grocery store and let them choose from healthy options. Consequently, list meals from each food group and allow them to decide what they would love to eat. 

You can encourage your kids to pack their lunches if they are older. Begin by teaching them the basics of packing a well-rounded meal, including all food groups. For instance, they can pack a ham or tuna sandwich as the main dish, carrots, peas, orange slices, and a chocolate milk box. You can also make a packing station for your kids, so keep this in mind.  

2. Don't stick to the same meals 

Irrespective of your meals' taste, your kids will likely get bored if they keep eating the same thing every day. This, in turn, can cause them to snack on junk foods. However, they will always look forward to lunch if they eat a variety of dishes. And one way to do this is to use a bento box. A bento box allows you to pack various meals without them touching each other. This way, they can eat their favorite foods from each food group. You can also consider homemade Lunchables by packing turkey pieces, wheat crackers, and low-fat cheese squares. 

Another way to spice up their lunches is to create themed meals. For instance, you can create space-inspired foods like mini-meatball rockets for your little astronaut or a pupperoni pizza if your kids love puppies. You can also surprise them with delicacies from other countries, such as this mapo tofu. 

3. Go easy on yourself 

Now, the last thing you want is to stress yourself out while packing your kids' lunches. Fortunately, you can make the process easier and more enjoyable with the right steps. You can begin by prepping their meals during the weekend to simplify the cooking during the week. As a tip, pre-bag the single-serve items for the week. Leftover meals from kast-nights dinners can also work well, so feel free to leverage them. 

Homemade lunches can be beneficial for your kids. You can consider these strategies to achieve the desired results.