How to Get Children to Eat Their School Lunches
Simple Ways for Kids to Help Plan and Cook Healthy Food
The Internet is rife with suggestions for healthy lunchbox meals. An Amazon search turns up two dozen cookbooks written on the subject. However, many disappointed parents pack healthy lunches only to have them returned – uneaten – at the end of the day. Once parents have packed the perfect lunch, how do they ensure their children will eat it?
The American Dietetic Association advocates letting children help plan and prepare their own lunches as a way of learning about proper nutrition. When given age appropriate adult assistance and guidelines, children – even preschoolers – can help pack their own lunchboxes. Following the simple steps below will lead to a healthy brown bag lunch that children will eat.
Children Can Help Plan Menus
To make it easy for young children to plan healthy lunches, create a simple grid menu like the one shown below. The top line of the grid lists the days of the week, while the left-hand side lists four food categories – main dish, fruit, vegetable, and extra. Four choices are provided for each category. For example, the “extra” category could include “pretzels, yogurt, sunflower seeds, or string cheese.”
The main dishes should include choices that are flexible enough to be made with different ingredients. For example, rather than having “ham and cheese sandwich” as an option, the option should be “sandwich.” Some possible flexible main dish choices are sandwich, leftover wrap, soup, and salad. Menus may also include a “chef’s special.” When a child chooses the chef’s special, the parent makes the main dish secretly so that the child can look forward to a surprise in her lunchbox.
Before the weekly grocery trip, the child circles his or her menu choices for each day. To teach children about meal planning and proper nutrition, allow them choose from each of three categories per day, with the caveat that at least two fruits and at least two vegetables must be chosen each week. If the schedule allows, bring children to the store to shop for lunch items.
Let Children Make Their Own Lunches
According to the USDA, when children help to prepare their own meals, they are more likely to eat them. Making lunch for the next day part can be part of every family’s evening routine. Right after dinner is often a convenient time to have children pull out their completed menus, read what they have ordered for the next day, and help parents stuff the lunchbox.
Lunches are usually simple enough that even preschoolers can do most of the preparation with parental guidance. Parents with young children will want to do the cutting tasks, but children can wash and dry vegetables and fruits, stack lunchmeat into sandwiches, spoon egg salad into wraps, and pack everything into reusable containers. Parents may want to use this time to talk about portion size and encourage children to think about how much food they will eat.
With these easy steps to giving children input into planning and preparing their food, parents will see lunchboxes come home empty. Parents can gradually give up control as children gain more skill in planning and preparing their own lunches.
Sample School Lunch Menu
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