Fun School Lunches

10 Tips for Your Kids' School Lunches Healthy, Edible, and Fun.

By
Relationship Advice Expert April Masini

Q: Dear April Masini,

I like to make lunch for my two elementary school-age kids to bring to school because I don't think the school cafeteria's options are very nutritious. But my kids say the lunches I make them are boring, and I think they're jealous of their friends who get to buy chips and soda from the school snack bar. I usually pack them a sandwich with some fruit and a couple of cookies for dessert. Help! What can I make for my kids that is healthy, but will keep them excited each day?

Sincerely,

Mom Doesn't Wear a Hairnet

A:

Dear Mom Doesn't Wear a Hairnet,

It's good that you're trying to keep your kids interested in making healthy but interesting food choices. Don't worry, it's really not too difficult whip up some nutritious lunches your kids will love.

April’s Top 10 Tips For Making A School Lunch Healthy, Edible, and Fun

1- Cookie cutter shapes. Use a cookie cutter to make shapes out of sandwiches. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich shaped like a heart is much more appealing than four quarters.

2- Ants On A Log. Celery sticks spread with peanut butter and dotted with raisins are a fun and nutritious lunch that substitute for a sandwich.

3- Lots of little things. Rather than a sandwich, a piece of fruit and a cookie, try packing a lunch that is lots of little things. A few cheese cubes, a couple of grapes, some beef jerky and a yogurt are more fun than eating the same old lunch in a bag.

4- Dessert buffet. Make them think they’re getting dessert for lunch, when really, you’re giving them protein. Try a protein bar, some trail mix with banana chips and carbo chips and a squeeze yogurt.

5- Chips. Send your child to school with chips that are nutritious and fun. You can buy chips made from beets, green vegetables and tomatoes in the health food aisle of a regular supermarket, or in a health food store. You can find low sodium and baked (low fat) chips that are fun to munch for lunch.

6- Beverage bazaar. Drinks come in boxes, pouches, and bags and you can buy healthy 100% fruit juice or even milk (or chocolate milk) in non-glass containers that are healthy and appealing. Even waters come in little containers that kids love, and will drink – because of the packaging.

7- Brunch for lunch. Why limit lunch to regular lunch food? Send your child hard-boiled eggs and bacon strips, a bagel with lox spread or some dry cereal and a yogurt to eat for lunch.

8- Love-ly lunch. The way to a child’s heart is through his lunchbox. Stick a little love note from Mom in the lunch box just to remind your kid how much you’re there even when you’re not. A few stickers or a funny joke are equally great.

9- Bye-bye sandwiches. Ban sandwiches from your lunch boxes and watch their eyes widen! Shish kabobs can be made from salami chunks, cheese chunks and cherry tomatoes. Don’t forget beef jerky sticks without additives or nitrates and string cheese, cut up, and skewered with grapes in between.

10- A new lunch box. Nothing makes a child look forward to lunch more than a new lunch box with a new thermos or new plastic containers in bright colors that are fun to look at and use. If lunch looks good, they’ll be more likely to eat it.

April Masini -- nicknamed "the new millennium's Dear Abby" by the media, is author of the best-selling books Date Out Of Your League and Think & Date Like A Man, the two (just released) step-by-step dating and relationship manuals, Ideas for a Fun Date and Romantic Date Ideas, and the critically acclaimed dating and relationship online magazine www.AskApril.com.

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