“Dachshund Eating a Veggie Burger” by Schmetz Petz
If she ate it for dinner, she will eat it at lunch
You don’t always need to come up with something brand new to put in your child’s lunchbox! Many of the children in my classes who always ate their lunch brought leftovers from dinner, supplemented with a little fresh fruit.
3 Healthy foods you might be surprised your child likes
- Edamame. These little soybeans in the pod are sold in the frozen vegetables section. I have literally not yet met a child who didn’t like edamame. Just boil a few handfuls in a medium pot of water for about 5 minutes, drain, toss with a pinch of salt, and pop in a container for lunch.
- Marinated tofu. Sold in the cold case of the grocery store, marinated firm tofu comes already flavored. Just cut it into chunks or slices and it’s ready to eat.
- Hummus. This dip/spread made from chickpeas taps into children’s general love of dipping. If they are already used to dipping those little carrots in ranch dressing, why not try some hummus instead?
Small children will not eat sandwiches as big as their head
First they stare. Then they disassemble. Off comes the gigantic hard top of the roll. Out goes most of the meat. Lettuce is flying off the plate. Mayo and mustard gets wiped on the table. What does the kid end up eating? A few bites of meat, a few bites of cheese.
Children are easily overwhelmed by anything that seems too difficult for them to eat. This includes: full sized burritos, adult-sized sandwiches, and tough to chew/crusty bread. Aim to keep it simple, soft, and small.
Make the overall size of lunch manageable
Kids generally want to do a “good job”. They know it is important to you that they eat their lunch, and they want to try. But when the size of their lunch is just way more than they could ever eat, some kids get discouraged before they even begin. Think about this before packing up that lunch, and consider using something like the BPA-free Eco Friendly Laptop Lunch Bento Box
Don’t worry about having a “main dish”
Eating a “main course” is really an adult convention. If you have a picky eater, the important thing is not whether they will eat a sandwich, but that they eat, period. Try this pick-and-choose tactic for putting together a tasty, well-balanced lunch:
Protein:
- Edamame
- Hard-boiled egg
- Lunch meat
- Marinated tofu
- Sliced cheese
- Hummus
Carbs:
- Crackers
- Whole grain waffle
- Soft bread
- Small muffin
Fruit & Veg:
- Sliced sweet bell pepper
- Baby carrots
- Fresh berries
- Sectioned orange
- Sliced kiwi
- Sweet potato fries
Involve your kids in the lunch-making process
Ask your child and check in with their teacher about what they did or didn’t like in their lunch. Also, have your child help put together their own lunch from time to time: it will give them a chance to have some input on what they would like to eat.
What are your child’s favorite foods? Is there anything they absolutely will not eat?
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