By Double Duty Mama
You may not believe this, but I may have stumbled upon a real solution to a real kid problem!
Remember about six weeks ago when I told you about how my kids don’t eat the healthy food I pack in their lunch boxes and were also sneaking cafeteria meals at school? Our lunch box battles inspired me to be more creative with their lunches and find a variety of healthy, kid-friendly foods they’ll be sure to eat.
It. Totally. Worked.
I know! I couldn’t believe it either!
What I figured out was they were actually very sick of their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches — even though they didn’t realize it themselves or even know how to voice what was bothering them. They asked for it every day because they didn’t really know what else they could ask for … and then shunned it when faced with the prospect of actually eating one again.
Now, I usually give them two options to choose from and let them also pick from among a variety of “extras,” like crackers, baked chips, pretzels, granola bars, yogurt smoothies, yogurt, various cheeses, apple sauce and fruit cups in water, as well as fruits and vegetables I know they like (there is always one serving in every lunch box). They’ve learned to like, or at least accept and eat, leftover pizza, pasta and chicken (a favorite being “make-your-own-tacos” with chicken chunks, shredded cheese and whole wheat tortillas). They also eat rice cakes with peanut butter, frozen taquitos, quesadillas, homemade “lunchables,” hard-boiled eggs and “breakfast for lunch” with no sugar added cereal, yogurt cups and cut-up fruit.
And, for the first time since I started sending lunch with them to school, I’ve managed to keep a jar of peanut butter and a loaf of bread on hand for more than a few days.
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