Packing lunches together promotes parent-kid conversations
9/19/2024 by Michaeleen Burroughs, MS, RDN, LD
Families face the dreaded chore of packing lunches every weeknight in homes nationwide. But as Mary Poppins says, "In every task that must be done, there's an element of fun." In this case, it can be a fun time for parents and kids to talk as they gather food to build healthy lunches.
The conversations can be about anything, but this is a prime time to talk with your kids about making healthy food choices while packing lunches they'll enjoy. (You can pack yours for work, too!)
To get started on your family lunch-packing project:
- Make sure you have good lunch-carrying supplies: A good-quality lunch box or bento box, water bottle, thermal beverage container, some cool packs and reusable containers. Keep a variety of zipper food storage bags—both sandwich and snack size—to pack kid-sized portions of pretzels, dry cereal, dried fruits or nuts.
- Make a plan for lunches based on what you've got on hand, what leftovers could be re-imagined into sandwiches, salads or something hot for a chilly day, and what you need from the store.
- Have kids come shopping with you to pick out food they like — and try new ones. Are they studying a particular country or doing a unit on health? These connections can help you work with new options, such as food from that country or from something they're learning. But there's no shortage of familiar ones to choose from: Ready-to-pack cut fruits and veggies, dried fruits and unsalted nuts, pre-portioned cheese and single-serve yogurts or fruit cups, hummus and cracker cups, and tuna and chicken pouches.
- Clear a workplace on the kitchen counter or table and gather your ingredients.
As you assemble the lunches, try these talk topics:
- Why are these good choices? Food is fuel; it powers their bodies — both brains and muscles — throughout the day and helps them grow and improve their school and sports performance.
- Food likes and dislikes, and why. Is it taste, texture, color or just too "yucky"? Why do they like what they like?
- How to build a healthy lunch. One typically contains three to five food groups — fruits, vegetables, protein, grains and dairy. A granola bar and grapes might be a good start for a packed lunch — grain and fruit — but what needs to be added to make the lunch more complete?
- What do other kids bring in their lunches? Is there something they'd like to try?
But don't forget the fun:
- Once sandwiches are made, let your child use cookie cutters to create fun, bite-sized portions.
- Use a crinkle cutter to cut fruits and veggies with zigzag edges.
- Think up themes for the week – colors, animals, ethnic cuisines, birthdays, holidays, Disney movies and more.
- As a random surprise, tuck a cheerful note, fun sticker, comic strip or fortune cookie into their lunch box.
Making this chore fun and sharing the responsibility with your kids has the potential to build more than healthy lunches. The start of the new school year is the perfect time to give family lunch packing a try!
Michaeleen Burroughs, MS, RDN, LD, has worked in Primary Care in Rochester and Kasson in Family Medicine for 28 years. She helps Mayo Family Clinics - Northwest, Southeast, Northeast, and Kasson patients. Her areas of interest are diabetes and child and adult weight management.