We know our children need to be well nourished to get the most out of their school day and we don’t want them to trade away what we have packed for them in favor of food with dubious nutritional value.
Can We Force Children to Eat When We're Not There?
While it would be nice to think our children will be convinced to eat what we have provided them just because they are ravished by the time lunch hour rolls around, we must be realistic. Some younger children are more willing to eat if their food is ‘fun’ and older children usually prefer their food to be trendy but similar to what other kids their age are eating.
Give and Take
Kids in all age groups will eat food that tastes good to them. Sometimes it is worth it to provide a child with food that may have less nutrition but is guaranteed to be eaten. School lunch is not the proper time to introduce new foods to a child. The child’s other two meals of the day can make up for the nutrition lost at lunch time, while the lunchtime food kept the child alert and ready to learn.
Protein is Important
It is important to provide protein in some form to keep the child satisfied throughout the day. Milk, cheese or a portion of yogurt are good protein choices and the packaging is usually easy for little fingers to handle. A frozen water bottle will keep food cold but melt in time to drink it at lunch. A peanut butter sandwich that has been shaped by a cookie cutter is fun for smaller children. Try rolling lunchmeat in a flatbread and cutting it into medallions for an older child.
Sweets are Very Convincing
Most children like to have something sweet in their lunchbox, but try to make it value-added. Instead of just giving them gelatin, add fruit to it. If they don’t mind the taste of sugar-free foods, that is all the better. Finger foods are easy and convenient for the child to deal with and make them more fun to eat. Carrot sticks also offer a bit of sweetness, and the occasional cookie is a nice treat. Oatmeal cookies are full of fiber to keep the child satisfied longer.
No matter what a parent tries, sometimes the child refuses to eat the lunch prepared for them, and it may not be a battle worth fighting any longer. Lunches provided by the school have greatly improved flavor-wise and as always, they are nutritionally sound.
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