Tips for Lunch Time Burnout

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Tips for Lunchtime Burnout from Albuquerque Mom's BlogLunch time burnout is real, and I totally get it. 

It’s hard to believe, but school will be out in less then two months. After surviving the excitement of back to school, the full days of fall, the holidays and the not-so-winter months, I’m definitely ready for summer. I’m sure my kids are too. 

In case you didn’t know, I’m a lunch girl. I have a crazy obsession with bento and packing lunches for my kids. But even people with my level of crazy can have a dry spell or just lose interest in packing lunches, particularly at this time of year. I thought I would share a few ways to make lunch packing if not more interesting, at least easier.

If you aren’t familiar with the term, “bento” that’s totally understandable. It’s the Japanese word for lunch box. In recent years, bento has become more mainstream in the United States. More and more parents are packing lunches for their kids and are shying away from the traditional brown bag in favor of more environmentally friendly reusable lunch boxes. But what to pack in those boxes? And how to make sure your kids will eat it?

There are a ton of options for packing lunch, but each kid has their own likes and dislikes. So here’s what I do.

1. Pack in a rule of fives.

If I can incorporate five different colors into the lunches I pack, I have a pretty good idea that my kids are getting a well balanced meal. Brown, green, red, purple, white, yellow, and any other combination are what I’m looking for. A grain, fruit, vegetable, dairy, protein. It doesn’t always happen, but that’s okay. I just try to keep it in mind when I pack to make things go faster.

2. Make extras and pack leftovers.

This works particularly well with pizza (not the healthiest I know, but quick when I’m in a pinch), tacos (we do build your own–like homemade lunchables), and dishes my boys REALLY love (i.e. risotto and homemade cornbread).

3. Pack things my kids like and don’t like.

Honestly, I want them to eat and have the nourishment they need to get them through the day, but I also want them to try new things (or retry them). Kids can be so picky and stubborn, but I figure if I keep reintroducing stuff, maybe someday they will change their minds and eat something new/different.

4. Picky eaters? Try to make things cute/fun for them.

Easy ways to do this are with cookie cutters (cutting out shapes makes food fun) and using food picks or cupcake rings to spruce up a lunch. I can’t tell you the number of times this little trick has worked for me, particularly with my youngest. He is by far my pickiest eater, but by simply creating a fruit skewer with grapes on it, he ate more then he has in the past. It may not work for everyone, but it is definitely worth a try.

How do you stay on top of your lunch game? I’d love to know if you have any other tips to keep things quick or interesting for you.

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