Are you on a hunt for kid-friendly lunches?
Parents everywhere are emptying their child’s lunchbox at the end of the school day, only to find that their child has not even touched their lunch.
The struggle is real, ya’ll. I have three kids in elementary school, and I totally get the frustration when lunches come home uneaten. Oh, and do they all eat the same thing? Not a chance! My son is satisfied with sandwiches, while the girls… not so much. He will eat an apple every single day, but the girls like a little more variety. (So do I!)
If this problem sounds familiar, then it’s time to branch out from the same-old sandwiches. Here are a few ways to take your boring lunches to kid-friendly lunches!
Use cookie and sandwich cutters
Does your child like sandwiches, but dislike the crust? Use a sandwich cutter to make it into a fun shape, and eliminate that unwanted crust. I actually get requests from my kids on what shape they want me to use on their sandwiches. Even my girls will eat sandwiches if they are cut differently. I use my Pampered Chef round cutter or my Wonder Bread square cutter to make my own “uncrustables.” It is crazy how many different cutters are available these days.
If you don’t have a sandwich cutter, cookie cutters work great also. I always use my different sized cookie cutters to cut up sandwiches, cheese, fruit, and veggies. Even a simple heart cookie cutter can do wonders! This really is a simple step when making kid-friendly lunches.
Bonus: Add raisins. chocolate chips, fruits, or veggies to make a face or design on the sandwich.
Use toothpicks and food sticks
Stick cheese, cold-cuts, fruit, and bread onto toothpicks or on a wooden Popsicle stick just for fun. You can make all kinds of cute kabobs and foods-on-a-stick. Lollipop/candy sticks can be found at your grocery or craft store, and they work great as well. Look out for those adorable cupcake picks, drink stirrers, and holiday toothpicks to dress up your kid’s lunch, too.
Make a Themed-Lunch
Making a themed-lunch is probably one of my favorite ideas for making my kid’s lunches more fun. My kids LOVE this! Create a favorite lunch theme like “princess,” “pirate”, “sharks,” or any other adored character. A good time to make themed lunches is around certain holidays. My Halloween lunches were a big hit in this household!
Bonus: Add leftover party napkins, character rings, or matching picks to their lunch.
Leave a sweet note in your kid-friendly lunches
Add a personal note. Even if your child cannot read yet, there usually is a helper or teacher that can read it aloud to him. My kids like it when I take the time to write a quick note wishing them luck on a test, telling them how proud I am of them, or just reminding them that I am thinking of them during the day. This small gesture does not take a lot of time, but it will certainly be remembered!
Bonus: Use cute paper, colored pens, and stickers to make your note even more special.
If you’re wondering if I make crazy, cute lunches everyday, the answer is no. But, what better way to make a birthday lunch more exciting or to cheer up your child when he’s having a stressful week? Now, who’s ready to make some kid-friendly lunches?
