8 Upgrades to Make to Your Child’s Lunch

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1. Bento Boxes

Bento boxes have gained widespread popularity due to their cute designs and separate food spaces. Upgrading your child’s regular lunchbox to a Bento box offers many benefits. For one, your child will be able to have a larger variety of foods. Since there are multiple food spaces, you can pack fruits, vegetables, and a main dish in their own areas. For fussy eaters who do not want any of their food to touch, this can be especially helpful.

You could even come up with a few themed Bento boxes. One idea could be a woodland creature-themed Bento box. You could make a sandwich of your choice and then use a cookie cutter to shape it into a fox, bear, or rabbit. Carrots and apples could be sides, as this is what woodland creatures normally snack on during their own lunches.

Another idea for a themed Bento box could be a Christmas-in-Spring lunch. Rather than having a traditional sandwich and potato chips, you could pack your child pre-cooked turkey or roast chicken with fresh vegetables and a few homemade Christmas cookies. Think about what your child likes and incorporate it into their own Bento boxes.

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2. Add More Color

Kids love color. Think about when you allow them to dress themselves for the first time. They will match pink to orange and wear zebra-striped pants with a polka-dot shirt. Kids thrive on color, which is why their lunches should also be packed with it. This will help introduce your kids to new foods, such as red peppers, yellow bananas, or green grapes.

Start by adding in a few colored fruits and vegetables that they like. After you have done that for a few weeks, start adding in a few new fruits and vegetables. Try to add one new fruit or vegetable a week. This is to prevent overwhelming your child with too many changes at one time. Ask them how they liked their lunch when they get home, and see if they mention anything about their colorful lunch.

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3. Sauces and Dips

Kids enjoy dipping their chicken nuggets and fries into a multitude of sauces and dips. Why should they only get to do this at restaurants? Allow your kids the freedom to enjoy sauces and dips in their own lunches. This could be a homemade sauce or one you purchase at the store.

For example, if you are packing your child a turkey sandwich, consider which special sauces or dips you could include on the sandwich or on the side. Sauces and dips will enhance the sandwich's flavor. You could even have your child try a few of the sauces and dips ahead of time to see which ones they might like in their lunch.

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4. Switching Up Sandwiches

Having the same sandwich every day can get quite boring. When my mom did not have time to pack my lunch, my dad would pack me a peanut butter sandwich or a burger bun with a slice of cheese on it. Since we were vegetarians, there was no hamburger— it was just a slice of cheese. Your kids want more variety in their lunch than one or two options. Try out new sandwiches with your children by mixing things up.

A few ideas could be to swap peanut butter sandwiches with hazelnut and banana sandwiches, or swap turkey sandwiches with a vegetable sandwich with cheese. Be creative by packing bagels with cream cheese or a Mexican burrito sandwich. Take some time to think over your options and see what might be fun to make for your kids this upcoming week.

You could also cut them into fun shapes. If you have cookie cutters, they should work great! Cut your child’s sandwiches into stars, hearts, or four-leaf clovers. A heart-shaped or star-shaped sandwich will bring a smile to your child's face during their lunch break.

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5. Bake Your Own Sweet Treats

Pre-packed sweets can be nice, but nothing is as delightful as homemade cookies, brownies, and cupcakes. If you love to bake, packing these sweet treats into your children’s lunches will give them the motivation to make it through the day. For example, if you are already making homemade caramel chocolate chip cookies for tonight's dessert, then save a few cookies for your child’s lunch for the next day.

By baking your own sweet treats, you will be able to keep an eye on any unwanted ingredients. There are many prepackaged foods that contain too many harmful ingredients, such as excessive sodium and fat intake. Making your own sweet treats will ensure your child stays healthy.

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6. Think Outside the Box

When it comes to a child’s lunch, sometimes you have to be incredibly creative. If you have picky eaters, this might be even more challenging. When my mom was trying to be creative with my sisters' and my lunch, she would pack us leftovers. Whether that be pizza or salad, it was packed into airtight containers and sent with us to school. There was something exciting about opening your lunchbox to find a piece of pizza waiting for you.

If you consistently find you do not have leftovers, try meal-prepping something ahead of time. If your child really enjoys pasta salad, make a pot of it at the beginning of the week and keep individual servings in airtight refrigerated containers. In the same way, if your child really likes soup, try making your own potato soup to pack for your child throughout the week. Be creative in what you pack for your children, and it will truly upgrade their lunch.

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7. Hot and Cold Foods

Kids love variety, especially when the temperatures are changing. If it is hot outside, they are going to want cool foods, and if it is cold outside, they are going to want warm foods. Switch up their lunches based on the seasons. When it is warmer, pack them a nice cold lunch, such as a cold sandwich with cheese, mayonnaise, and their favorite sauce, plus watermelon. When it is colder, pack them a homemade chili in their thermostat with a biscuit as their side. Your child will love the creativity as well as how you considered the weather.

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8. Leave a Sweet Note for Your Child

By far, my favorite thing about lunchtime was when my mom would pack me a note. Occasionally, my mom would write “I love you!” or “I hope you have a great day” on the napkin she packed with my lunch. This would always bring a smile to my face and sometimes tears when the days were hard. This small act of kindness from my mom helped me remember that I was loved and I would be home in a few hours.

Upgrading your child’s lunch does not have to mean giving them higher-quality meat or baking endless amounts of cookies. Instead, it can be in the form of a loving note from you to them. Write a personalized message for your child, reminding them how much you love them. If they have a big test for the day, tell them that you are proud of them regardless of the outcome of the test. Other ideas could include:

• “I am so proud of you!”
• “You are so smart!”
• “You can do anything you set your mind to.”

It could also be helpful to leave a Bible verse on a note within your child's lunchbox. This will help them to remember that God is always with them. A few Bible passages to consider could include:

• “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b, New International Version).
• “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13, New Living Translation).
• “The Lord himself will go ahead of you. He will be with you. He will never leave you. He’ll never desert you. So don’t be afraid. Don’t lose hope” (Deuteronomy 31:8, New International Reader’s Version).

Each of these Bible passages will renew your child’s heart for the day. Rather than being afraid of the big test or making new friends, they will rest in the peace that God is with them. Encourage your child with these truths each day. Pray for them, allow them to talk about their day when they get home from school, and help them with any homework they may be struggling with. Doing these things will truly upgrade not only your children’s lunch, but also their entire lives.

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