Lunches revamped

Chances are your child’s tired of the same lunch day after day. Here are some ideas that’ll get your kids excited about lunch hour.

We understand making a lunch for your child to take to school is a big task, and it’s easier to just make the same thing over and over — which is fine if your kid likes to eat the same thing over and over — but chances are they’re tired of having the same old thing, and as a result, maybe aren’t even eating what you pack for them. So how can you jazz things up so they have lunches they’ll want to eat and wouldn’t dream of ditching or trading? Here are some tips on creating lunches they’ll love.

Incorporate more ethnic foods

Why stick to a plain old sandwich when so many tasty options of food are out there? If your kid loves Thai takeout food at home, why not throw some noodles into a container for them to eat for lunch? Or, while your child might not like vegetables in a garden salad, when they’re wrapped up in a rice paper roll (used for cold Thai spring rolls), vegetables become a whole new tactile, finger food experience.

Try different sandwich fillings

Sure, they love their cheese sandwiches, but they might like having some crisp slices of apple in that same cheese sandwich too. If they love dipping baby carrots into hummus or baba ghanouj, why not try that as a spread with their favourite cold cuts in some bread? And remember to make sure the bread doesn’t get soggy by lunch hour — your child may not dislike tomatoes themselves, just how wet they make their sliced bread! Rethink the bread too, and perhaps try a different variety. Cornbread like the one used in an arepa will change the overall meal experience, and a rolled-up wrap will make for a more interesting meal if they’ve been used to standard sliced bread.

Consider options that can be quickly heated up

Depending on your child’s age, they may have access to a microwave to heat up their lunches. In this case, you can send them to school with a container of soup and some whole-grain bread to enjoy with it. Or pack up some leftover macaroni and cheese or burritos (although that can sometimes be delicious eaten cold too!).

More on kids and food

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Healthy and effective bedtime snacks for kids
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