Fun-Packed Lunches for Small Children

It doesn't matter if you're running errands around town or sending your kids off to school—pack a healthy lunch for them. Your lunches are competing with fast food and whatever the other kids have in their lunch boxes. When your kids are at school and out of sight, you can be sure that they will be tempted by their friends' store-bought snack packs. Many of these snacks, despite their enticing packaging, are not as healthful as they should be. It's simple but true: there is no substitute for a healthy, well-balanced meal that you've packed yourself.

Q: What's the typical breakfast for the kids in your home?

Who has time for breakfast?

Anything ready in a minute or less.

Milk, cereal, and juice.

A well-balanced hot meal.

Yuck! Cold pizza and leftovers.

That said, there are things you can do to make your child's home-packed lunch interesting and perhaps even the envy of her peers with these lunch ideas. When I was small, I was the king of picky eaters and wouldn't go near a box of cereal whose contents weren't completely sugar-coated. My mother discovered, however, that I would eat less sugary cereals if they had a prize in the box. Soon she was busy rigging the event, placing stickers and other small prizes in the boxes of healthy cereals.

You can purchase stickers and inexpensive party-favor-style toys and try the same trick in your child's lunch box. Pop a toy in with her carrot sticks and she will come to look forward to veggies with lunch! Perhaps the most important aspect of this tip is to communicate with your child's teacher. Find out what your child is eating for lunch. Is she eating her carrots or just playing with the little toy you packed with them? Cooperation with her teacher will allow you to maximize her nutrition and to stay well informed.

More on: Healthy Meals for Families