Getting back into the swing of things in September is tough for every family member, not just the kids going back to school [1] or the parents behind the elaborate bento lunches. Beau Coffron of Lunchbox Dad [2] is one such parent who prides himself on making fun, nutritious lunches for his three kids. Through his work on a campaign with Smuckers, Beau shared some of his best tips with us, and now we're totally ready to tackle this school year with our kids . . . at least we think we are. Check back in with us around Halloween [3].
Tips For Packing Healthy School Lunches
Beau's first tip for packing a healthy school lunch is to make sure you're really paying attention to what's going into their boxes. "I always recommend getting a good lunchbox with a couple compartments, such as a bento-style lunchbox, instead of just tossing food in a bag. This makes it easier to pay attention to what you're packing in order to make healthier choices . . . plus these boxes can last for multiple school years," he told POPSUGAR.
"You have to remember they are still kids — so yes, you will want to pack lots of fruits and veggies, but you have to balance that with things they love as well."
"Another good practice is to get into the routine of packing lunches the night before. This way you aren't trying to make healthy food choices while you are stressed out finding shoes, making sure teeth are brushed and signing 75 permission slips. At the end of the day though, you have to remember they are still kids — so yes, you will want to pack lots of fruits and veggies, but you have to balance that with things they love as well. One way I do that is to incorporate Smucker's Natural Strawberry Fruit Spreads. It's delicious and sweet so my kids love it, but I also feel good because I know fruit is the first ingredient and it isn't made with high fructose corn syrup. I look for the win-win!"
When it comes to making sure that kids are actually eating the "healthy stuff" and not going straight for their lunch dessert treats, Beau's got a tip for that, too. "We actually don't pack many desserts or treats in our kids' lunches. When we do, they are always balanced by plenty of fruits and vegetables. We aren't concerned about the order they eat the food in their lunches as long as they do try the healthier options," he said. "One thing that has helped is talking to our kids about foods that they like and don't like. . . Sometimes knowing these small details can be the difference between them devouring the sandwich or the food coming back home after school. Kids' taste buds seem to change by the week so these conversations help us not only to pack wholesome options that they already enjoy, but also talk to them about new foods that we would like them to try."
One of Beau's easiest tips for making school lunch packing more manageable? "Move dinner leftovers straight from the table into a lunchbox. You have to clean up the food anyway and this saves you from having to make lunches later that night or the next morning."
Tips For Starting the School Year Off Strong
"We start getting our kids ready for the school year a week or so before it actually begins."
Getting back into a routine [6] after so many lazy days of Summer is not easy, nor is it particularly fun, which is why Beau and his wife start prepping their three kids well before the first day of school [7]. "Clear communication and partnership are key for our family. My wife and I talk at the start of each week about planned activities and who needs to be at what. With three kids in school, we have to divide and conquer!" he said. "We also start getting our kids ready for the school year a week or so before it actually begins. This means normal bedtimes, sitting down for meals on a schedule, and talking to them about upcoming events that they will be participating in that week, such as sports and music practices. This helps our whole family start to be mentally prepared for the school year shift [8] a few days before we actually have to be, but it's really a partnership and involves everyone in the house [9] to make our family run smoothly."
For the new school year, Beau created two fun lunch recipes for his own kids' lunch boxes that you could totally make for your own little ones this school year. Keep reading for some major inspiration.
"Sushi" Lunch
Here's everything you need to make Beau's "sushi" lunch:
- Whole wheat bread
- Smucker's Natural Jam
- Nut-free spread
- Bananas
- Avocados
- Sugar snap peas
- Large carrots
"I Love You" Heart Lunch
Here's everything you need to make Beau's "I love you" heart lunch:
- Strawberries
- Cream cheese
- Smucker's Jam
- Green apples
- Red apples
- Red and orange sweet peppers
- Red grape tomatoes
- Sliced cheddar cheese
- Sliced provolone cheese
- Popcorn