By day, I’m J.M. Hirsch, food editor for The Associated Press and author of “Beating the Lunch Box Blues” (coming in Sept.) and “High Flavor, Low Labor: Reinventing Weeknight Cooking.” By night, I’m just a dorky dad trying to feed my son a great dinner and pack him a lunch he’ll eat and I’ll feel good about.
Stumbled on your blog, LOVE it! When I was about your son’s age, my daddy did a lot of the cooking in our house, too, and I think it made me a better person for it. Glad to see another dad who knows his way around a kitchen!
So glad you enjoy it. It’s been fun. OK… It’s been a challenge, but at least a worthwhile one. Your dad was way ahead of his time. My dad doesn’t cook much, but he was always in the kitchen to help, clean, etc. I wanted my son to have that same experience — that everyone belongs in the kitchen.
Love your blog. I looked at your pictures. It seems like a lot of food for a 7 year old…. Well, even for an adult. How did you come up with the portions? I am sure you know the calorie count since you are a foodie. I may be completely wrong
Thanks so much! It is a lot of food. Couple things about that. First, Parker’s school does two snacks per day in addition to lunch. Rather than pack specific snack foods, I just give him lots of choices. He can select what he likes for snacks or lunch. But second, even then it is a lot of food. I don’t worry too much about overall calories. He is an active, thin boy. I just try to make sure that most of the calories I give him are good ones — whole grains, produce, dairy, protein, etc. However, he does eat a lot. There are days when his appetite makes me fear the teenage boy he will become. That’s going to be a lot of food…!
I like your blog. I have had my 14-yr old grandson living with me for the past 4 years and I make his lunch each day. He is like your son and will eat most anything. Some days it’s peppers, celery and carrots with dip and/or peanut butter, tuna every day if possible, all sorts of sandwiches on wraps or artisan breads and rolls, and lots of fruits. He would love to get one of your packed lunches. I try to be creative with dips and spreads and all types of fresh veggies and fruit. It makes me feel good to know he is getting something really good and even better knowing that his friends try to talk him out of his food most days. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much! And how awesome that your 14-year-old grandson is still eating so well. I think the teenage years can be as tough as the toddler years when it comes to food. While teenagers can be more adventurous, they also are far more concerned with appearing cool (and sometimes healthy food is just so not hip with the teenage set). So glad you enjoyed the blog.
Thanks for providing a quick form of education for parents to pack lunches. I’m a registered dietitian (RD) in pediatrics, a mom too, even with that experience, I have some new ideas from you.
Two questions: 1) Does the thermos work to keep hot foods hot by the time your son eats them? The meats, brown rice, etc?
2) Any vegetables with lunch or snack? Love the whole grains, natural meats, and fresh fruit!
I applaud you for getting breakfast, lunch, snacks AND dinner on the table for your son. That is where IT is at!
Thanks so much. Glad you enjoy the ideas.
The thermos does a great job keeping things warm. I was careful to buy ones that are rated to keep food warm for at least 5 to 6 hours, which more than covers the period from when I send my son out the door to when his school eats lunch. I also preheat it by filling it with boiling water while I’m making his lunch. That way by the time I add hot food to it, the thermos itself already is ripping hot.
As for vegetables… Ugh. At the moment, the boy who once inhaled spinach and sweet potatoes and carrots and any other veggies… claims to hate them all. So goes parenthood. But I believe in reserving what I call the “green bean battles” for home. In other words, I get the veggies into him at dinner, when I’m there to prod him along. I think it’s unreasonable to expect a kid to eat something he doesn’t like when he’s on his own at school (especially when he is surrounded by kids chowing down on Lunchables and Twinkies…). So I fill his lunch of with tons of healthy foods I know he loves. I make sure there is always fruit and whole grains, as well as protein. It seems to work. Though I am envious of parents who can pack salads and broccoli and such… Some day…
Hi, I am a 6th grader who loves good food.Like Parker, I prefer sushi over pizza and I love meat.But I do like broccoli and snap peas.I have been reading your entries and I love them! Since I have been looking for good lunchbox ideas and everything looks so appetizing,I think this is an amazing website and look forward to each new entry with glee.I really wish I put care into my lunchbox as much as you do to your son’s with you being busy and all. Thanks!
Thanks so much. So glad you enjoy the site. Wish Parker enjoyed green things as much as you do! It’s great that you’re already doing your own lunch. Kids who cook know so much more — and have such an advantage — than kids who don’t. Such an important skill. Good for you!
Hi,I am a 6th grader who loves food.Like Parker I prefer sushi over pizza and love meat.But I do like broccoli and snap peas.Since I have been searching the net thoroughly for commendable lunch box ideas,I came upon this on and the ideas are stupendous.I am jealous of the cool lunches you pack for your son and will be continuously checking this site.Even though I am not a parent this is great.By the way if your son doesn’t like snap peas he should try Snack Salad SnapPea crisps.They are pretty healthy and are baked, but they barely even taste like peas.Unless of course he hates the color.Thanks!
I know those SnapPea treats. Parker didn’t care for them. Of course. But this weekend I did get some dried and salted edamame. He loves them steamed, so I figured I’d try these. Fingers crossed.
[...] The working dad in question is AP Food Editor J.M. Hirsch. [...]
Wow, I can really feel the love you have for your son. I have added your blog to my favorites because I believe what I’ve read so far will make a positive impact on my life over the next few months. I am in nursing school and have two small boys (ages 2 and 5) so we have little time to spare. My oldest son just started kindergarten so finding this blog tonight has been timely. Your generosity will make both he and I more prepared to tackle those lunch box blues. Please keep posting so more will be inspired!
Thanks so much! The good news is that the blues get easier with time! Keep reading!
I love your blog. I have five boys and yours is the first that has lunches that my boys are satisfied with the portions. The little bentos with the cookie cutter sandwiches were just not making a dent. Thank you for expanding the options.
Wow! Feeding five boys sounds overwhelming! But I know what you mean. My son has no interest in cutesy. Nor do I have time for it. He wants lots of food, particularly if it has meat.
Just bought your cookbook and I’m loving the recipes and the blunt force concept! And enjoying the stories about your time with Parker, especially the two year old with his own Santoku. I’m really inspired by your creative way of saying ‘yes’ to what he wanted, while keeping him safe. I’ve also found the bento lunch idea really good as a solution to the cooking-for-one situation, which I do for myself daily. A bento lunch makes a quick dinner, too, and I’m big on using fresh food and variety. Thanks!
Thanks so much for reading! And glad you enjoy the book. And to this day, Parker never has cut himself even once. Of course, I’ve now jinxed myself. Probably will spend this evening at the ER…
I don’t have kids but love your blot ’cause I needed some fresh ideas for my own lunches. Would it be so wrong for me to eat PBJ truffles for lunch?? Mmmmm… Thanks for the inspiration.
Ha! Nothing wrong at all. Especially if you dunk them in powdered sugar!
Searching for square thermal lunch boxes and came across your blog! Love it! Then I bought our High Flavor/Low Labor cook book and equally enjoy it. We have a 3.5 yr old who eats well most of the time but has becoming pickier and pickier as he gets older. Lunch boxes are usually packed in a hurry and in sandwich forms, nothing fancy but we always give him a couple of options to pick from. So far, pasta never fails!
I tried the Balsamic cookie ice cream in your cookbook and it was such a hit! The vinegar and strawberry jam reduction smells heavenly. Question – can I use other fruit jams? Which ones go well with balsamic vinegar?
Thanks!
Thanks so much! Glad you’re enjoying the blog and the book. The good news is your son will come back around. So long as you keep offering exciting new foods and real flavors, he’ll bounce out of the picky stage. It may take a few years, but he will. That balsamic ice cream is once of my favorites. You certainly can use other jams. I’ve done it with raspberry and apricot, and any mixed berry would be delicious. Let me know what you try.