A Mom's Tale from the Lunch Pail

There are days where I fool myself into believing I'm still just a kid myself- but those days are fleeting- especially when experiences remind me that not only am I actually a "grown up" but I'm a mother with a child of my own now.  One recent experience that really drove this point home was my son beginning preschool.  My son Keegan is three, and is now attending preschool three days a week.  At his school, all students are asked to bring a lunch from home- which meant I am now an official school lunch packer upper.  I know- it's a very technical term.  

I knew this day would someday come- and I've read my Parents' magazines, mom blogs and websites.  I see the suggested "new, fresh lunch box ideas!" -articles filled with suggestions of edamame! pita and hummus! veggie wraps in organic whole grain tortillas!  It all SOUNDS good in theory.  Sure, I want my kiddo to get his fiber, his iron, eat organic whole foods and all of that good stuff- I really truly do.  But, one thing I can PROMISE you is if I pack those things- he will get NONE of those nutrients- because that lunch box will be coming home full and I will be getting nothing but dirty looks.  Even at 3, you can't fool kids.  Lunch box food HAS to be tasty and kid friendly- and no matter how you package it- super healthy food is a tough sell to kids sitting next to other kids scarfing Scooby Doo fruit snacks.

So, what's a health concious mom to do?  I wondered.  I brainstormed.  It was time to stop over analyzing and pack a lunch already.  Here's three tips start with.  I hope it helps other moms like me who want their kids to eat well while at school AND to actually eat what's packed for them.

1. Start with the lunch box.  There's no question there are chemicals in practically everything we use on a daily basis.  You constantly here "everything causes cancer now" or "we're all going to get cancer from something".  But, when I was selecting a lunch "bag" (which my husband later teased me over "why'd you buy our son an elephant lunch purse?"... I digress) the one with the tag that said "BPA and pthalate free" instantly won my purchase.  If the very container I put my son's lunch in, seeps chemical waste into his "healthy" food, I think I've already lost the battle- so I figured starting with a safe lunch bag was imperative.  In order to avoid chemicals that are being proven to cause a multitude of health issues from cancer to reproductive issues later in life- look for a lunch box/bag that is PVC and BPA free and if made of plastic, look for one of the following numbers in the triangle symbol on the bottom- 1,2,4 or 5.  This is a good rule of thumb for all plastics you use on a regular basis, not just lunch boxes.  If you need help remembering the safest plastics- memorize this little rhyme I found in Parents' magazine's August edition "Four, five, one and two, all the rest are bad for you".

2. Keep temperature in mind.  Make sure that the lunchbox is kept in a refridgerator until lunch time, and if it can't be, that you use 2 ice packs in the lunch.  Good Housekeeping product testers were interviewed on Good Morning America this morning, and stated that of the 32 lunch boxes they tested, not ONE kept the lunch cold enough without ice and having frozen the sandwich included.  Pack ice- freeze sandwiches or juiceboxes or even Gogurt to help keep things at a safe temperature.

3. Mind the importance of a balanced meal.  Try to incorperate all of the food groups.  Make sure you've got a lean protein source, carbs for energy (complex carbs, like whole grain, higher fiber foods are best and will leave kids feeling fuller longer), fruits and/or veggies and, my own choice is to add in one SMALL treat type food, to keep the interest and avoid lunch envy from the Lunchables Nacho kids sitting one seat over.

My typical packed lunch currently includes:

• Peanut Butter and Jelly on Whole Grain White Bread (Sara Lee Soft and Smooth has fiber and is made with whole wheat, but is still soft like regular white bread) OR Turkey and cheese sandwich on Whole Grain White bread
• Sliced apples, washed grapes or baby carrots
• A mini box of raisins, Goldfish crackers, or string cheese
• Fruit snack pack, dried fruit (or other sweet treat under 60 calories)
• Water or a 100% juice juice box made for toddlers (less sugar, smaller portion)

If you've got a picky munchkin, here are some other ideas that I rotate in:

whole grain pasta with a little butter (Ronzoni Smart Taste tastes like regular, but is packed with whole grain and fiber), cubes of cheese, rolled turkey or other not overly processed lunch meat (look for one without nitrates), cubed chicken breast, peanut butter and banana sandwiches or roll ups with tortillas instead of bread, Gogurt, string cheese

4. Make it fun

Find easy ways to be creative.  I often cut sandwiches with a cookie cutter to make shapes (which seems to go over well) or include a picture or note in the lunch box.  This week, I noticed lots of fun flash cards in the $1 section at Target- some are pictures of animals, bugs, etc.  I think I will try putting a new card in each day so he can collect a deck (I guess this means I'm making my own version of a happy meal- but I think I'm ok with that!).  For older kids, you can write notes on napkins.

When it comes to lunch packing, I think the bottom line is, as parents, we've got to provide food that fuels our little ones, and satisfies both their tastes and hunger.

For more random momness, food and other posts, stop by my usual bloggy home at www.thethinkingblonde.com!