Empower Your Kids With This Lunch-Packing Strategy

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.

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.

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!