If you are one of those parents who somehow finds the time to craft your kid’s lunch into cutesy animals and characters from their favorite movies (as in here), good for you. And good luck with your therapy.
I’m a working dad who can’t dedicate quite that much energy to my 7-year-old’s lunch box. Most days I’m pretty sure that doesn’t make me a bad dad. I still want him to eat healthy and to be excited for lunchtime. I just can’t obsess about it.
And for the record, at the end of a crazy day (or worse, the start of the next one), being a food editor and cookbook author doesn’t buy me any extra time or inspiration for packing a lunch.
But having spent a few years in the lunch box trenches, I’ve learned some tricks for packing meals he and I can both love. At least most of the time.
- I trust – or at least sometimes indulge – his occasional crazy request. To a limit. As in his idea for a peanut butter and pretzel sandwich. Made with whole-wheat bread, no-sugar peanut butter and multi-grain pretzels, it turned out to be a winner. He didn’t care that I used healthy ingredients because it was his idea.
- I also experiment with some of my own crazy ideas. As in leftover spaghetti carbonara (consider it an Italian version of cold Asian peanut noodles); sandwiches made on whole-grain graham crackers instead of bread; hunks of his favorite cheeses and meats for nibbling; and a mango chutney and cream cheese sandwich (all big hits). No one wants to eat the same thing every day; mixing it up keeps things interesting.
- My son has a bento box-style lunch box (rectangular boxes with compartments for various items). This forces me to be creative and come up with multiple items. It also makes it easier to feel good about slipping in treats. If you fill one compartment with a cookie, you know to focus the rest on healthier choices.
- I involve my son in the grocery shopping, giving him a say (and thereby involvement and ownership) in his lunches. I veto most unhealthy choices, and explain why. This isn’t always fun or easy, but what about raising kids is?
- When he says he doesn’t like something I put in his lunch box, I trust him and thank him for trying it. Save the green bean battles for dinner.
- I refuse to be sucked into “But Hulga Mae gets to bring cotton candy and Big Macs for lunch every day!” fights. I try not to demonize the other kids (or their gross lunches) with a simple, “Every family makes different choices.” It may not lessen your kid’s desire for his classmate’s lunch, but it’s the truth and (when it inevitably gets repeated at school) is unlikely to earn you the scorn of teachers and other parents.
LOVE your humor! You’ve inspired me to keep on blogging about my daughter’s snacks. I refer to her as “Miss Pickey” as I believe there are only 15 to 20 items she will readily eat. And she will eat the same thing everyday if I don’t intervene. And my lunches are not cutsie (Miss Pickey would NEVER eat some of those!) and while I blog so I can keep track of what I made her, I know some people peek and yup, I was kind of embarassed by my lack of creativity at times. Thank you for reminding me to be real. And I’m going to try your idea – I’m going to let each one of my kids pick out something new to eat when we go grocery shopping next. Can’t wait! Thanks for the idea!
Ha! I love it. Glad to know my kid isn’t the only crazy one. The other day I got an angry/laughing/yelled “You tricked me!” when Parker came home from school. I had no idea what he was talking about.
HIM: “The sushi! You tricked me!”
ME: “What are you talking about? You asked for sushi.”
HIM: “I know. But the avocado had cucumber in it.”
ME: “It did?”
HIM: “Yes. You tricked me.”
ME: “Um… OK…”
Love your philosophy and it reflects a lot of my own. I love to put all kinds of different things in Tyler’s lunch to make it a good part of his day. Growing up poor, my brother, sister and I had PBJ on white bread or an occasional pineapple and mayo sandwich on soggy, gummy white bread. I dearly love the pineapple and still love a good PBJ, as does my grandson, but refuse to ever buy white loaf bread again. We buy sour dough, 9-grain, pumpernickle and anything else that is not white. Tyler says the best part of each day is opening the lunch compartments to see what I have come up with that day. I try to feed the boy and the soul at the same time.
I love this! Exactly the way I feel. And exactly the way I want Parker to feel. I want lunch to be something to look forward to and enjoy. A treat (even when there aren’t “treats” in it). Good for you (and him)!
I LOVE your blog! Your philosophy is wonderful, and your warmth and humor shine in your writing. As a former kindergarten teacher and a current holistic health and wellness coach, I am inspired by your passion for exposing Parker to real food and home cooking! There is such a great need for this type of education. Your blog will be a helpful tool for me as I coach parents on how to feed themselves and their families. Finding your blog made my day!
Happy holidays…and please share a few more delicious recipes this season!
Thank you SO much. Much too. But obviously I agree, teaching our children about food, where it comes from, what it takes to get it to the table and why we need to care about all of that is so important. As for recipes, I don’t often post them on this site, but there are tons on my other site — jmhirsch.com.
Now reflecting how I found your blog I can’t remember but let’s just say I’ve read all that l could; ive laughed, chuckled and even cried over your devotion to your son and the wonderful expansion to his eating palate! I’ve now bounced to chia seeds (where have I been!), lunch boxes, thermos, recipes- I am ever so thankful to live in the age of endless information – adding you to my reading list – keep up the great inspirations to the average working mom who never feels adequate when it comes to feeding my son ( thank goodness I actually can cook – Cajun born and raised!
Wow! Thanks so much. So glad you enjoy the site. Amazing how much stress we put on ourselves when it comes to even the simple parts of parenting. Which, of course, never turn out to be nearly half as simple as they should. And yum… Cajun cooking is sounding pretty good at the moment.
You totally inspire me! Every lunch box should be more like a treasure chest~ full of magic.
Thanks so much! The trick is making sure the treasure chest doesn’t come home full of half-eaten magic at the end of the day!
Hi! I love your blog and your philosophy. I have a technical question, I assume a 7 year old’s classroom doesn’t have a fridge (though I haven’t been 7 for a long time, so I may be wrong) so do all of the lunches you pack stay good just sitting out for a few hours? I’m thinking mainly about things you grill first then pack.
Thanks!
And thanks so much! You’re right about no refrigerator in the classroom (though wouldn’t that be nice). I pack his lunch in an insulated lunch box. I also put an ice pack in it so things stay nice and cool. Beyond that, I also pack hot and cold items that need to stay especially hot or cold (such as the grilled items) in preheated thermoses. The combination keeps everything just right until his lunch at noon.
Love the blog. Pretty cool you make lunches for your baby!
Thanks so much! All part of the parenting job…