Empower Your Kids With This Lunch-Packing Strategy

POPSUGAR Photography | Dean Lipoff
POPSUGAR Photography | Dean Lipoff

Are you a parent sending your little one off to preschool or kindergarten? Preparing a well-balanced lunch every day can be challenging, so empower your child by involving her in the process with a fun and educational lunch-packing routine. Not only will it take the pressure off of you, but it'll also save time. Keep reading to see how it's done.

Let Your Child Call the Shots
POPSUGAR Photography | Dean Lipoff

Let Your Child Call the Shots

Create a lunch-packing chart to fill out with your child. Use shapes and stickers for younger kids, and have older ones customize the chart themselves. This is great for building language and reading skills. Work together to come up with a plan for the week, or even a theme. This is a great time to discuss the types of foods that make up a healthy lunch.

Hit the Store
POPSUGAR Photography | Dean Lipoff

Hit the Store

Head to the grocery store with your lunch-packing chart, and let your child be in charge of selecting items for a week's worth of lunches. Remember to include healthy snacks like precut veggie sticks, popcorn, single-serve cheese, fruit and nut bars, or Plum Organics Mashups. In addition to the items she selects, you can supplement with choices you prefer that complement hers. Just remember to steer clear of the candy aisle — nothing good ever happens there!

Create an Assembly Line
POPSUGAR Photography | Dean Lipoff

Create an Assembly Line

Designate an hour or two a week for your lunch prep, and create an assembly line to keep things fun. For example, you can cut up fruit and allow your child to load it into containers. Work together to organize the items in your fridge, and make sure to include labels, which will help when she puts her lunches together.

Let Your Child Do the Packing
POPSUGAR Photography | Dean Lipoff

Let Your Child Do the Packing

Since everything is prepped and ready to go, let your child build her lunchbox with fun compartments that can help make up a well-balanced meal. Supervise while she selects items from the fridge. If she makes some wacky combinations, feel free to offer suggestions. It is OK to let her make some unexpected decisions — encourage her to experiment a little.

Try It For a Week
POPSUGAR Photography | Dean Lipoff

Try It For a Week

Stick with the routine for an entire week, and see how things go. Along with encouraging your child to take more control over part of her day by packing lunch, it's a big timesaver for parents too. Who knows, maybe she'll start doing the laundry! (OK, one can dream.)

The Results
POPSUGAR Photography | Dean Lipoff

The Results

We interviewed a fellow POPSUGAR editor and her daughter after they tried this routine for a week, and the feedback was positive all around. Mom was happy to have feedback and assistance in creating a filling and satisfying lunch, and her daughter loved being involved in planning what she's eating. The experience changed their family's morning dynamic for the better and also benefited the child's eating habits and self-esteem. That's a win-win. Now go ahead, try it for yourself!

More From Plum Organics

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