Before I had kids I swore to myself that I wouldn’t have the type of kids that only ate chicken nuggets and cheese sticks for every meal because they were so picky. But guess what? Not only do I have one picky kid, I have four. Some of my kids have legitimate food allergies and some of my kids don’t like spaghetti sauce, banana’s, carrots, string cheese and so on and so on (the list of foods they don’t like is huge). Basically, I am a short order cook that begs them to just eat their food at every meal. Now that my two oldest kids are back in school full time and therefore eating lunches outside of the home I have been forced to get creative with their lunches to keep them interested…and to actually eat what I pack. There’s nothing worse than getting a full lunch box full of food back home amiright? New this year, my daughter no longer likes sandwiches. Weird right? So I have really had to flex my Pinterest search button finger in an attempt to find nutritious-yet-delicious-that-don’t-take-15-hours-of-prep-time lunch ideas for her. I am sharing a few products I have come to love for my picky eater. Some of these products I received as part of the Savvy Sassy Moms Product Scouts Program, all opinions are my own.
As a general rule of thumb for school lunches I pack: fresh fruit, protein, calcium, something sweet and something to drink. Usually I can tackle the calcium and protein in a tasty sandwich but since my daughter has sworn off the innocent bread hug of meat and cheese (aka a sandwich) I pack the protein and calcium separately.
#1 Picky Eater Tip: KEEP IT FUN
I cannot suggest enough to keep picky eaters interested in lunch by keeping it fun. That means adding little plastic holders for fruit and crackers, adding Babybel cheese that they get to peel, adding love notes and having a wide food variety daily! There’s nothing worse than the same lunch every day right? Sure that means I’m stopping by the grocery store a few times a week, but at least that means I can buy more wine…er…I mean keep the kids happy! For the lunch pictured above I have chosen my favorite products to show you!
Annie’s Organic Cheddar Bunnies –
Every school lunch needs a little crunch. These super cute little orange bunnies are a super healthy alternative to other “kid” crackers on the market and my daughter loves them! They are made of 100% real cheese, organic wheat, and absolutely no artificial flavors, synthetic colors or synthetic preservatives.
Fresh Fruit –
Fresh fruit in a school lunch is a great zap of vitamin C during the day. My daughter loves berries and crunchy apples!
Plum Organics Fruit & Veggie Mashups –
More fruit! And add veggies to that fruit and it’s a tasty punch of vitamins for school kids! Plum’s apple sauce pouches made from organic fruits and veggies mixed and mashed into purees kids can squeeze and eat! Mashups have all the natural sweetness of vibrant fruits and some extra pow from colorful veggies.
Cheese –
I am able to pack my picky daughter a little dose of calcium in her school lunch with a Babybel since she doesn’t like sandwiches. She loves being able to peel the wax casing off of the cheese.
Labeled Beverage –
I have included a small water bottle in this lunch pack because it’s been super hot in Southern California over the last week. I have them bring the bottles home and I wash them and reuse them the next day. And just so we don’t share germs with fellow classmates, I am able to label their water bottles with Mabel’s Labels, which are really awesome for school supplies!
Plum Organics Jammy Sammy –
Hello picky eater convenience! These little sandwich bars are the perfect alternative to a traditional sandwich and they’re so tasty that my picky eater loves them.
A Little Love Note –
Quite possibly the most important ingredient in any picky eaters lunch box is a sweet little handwritten love note that lets them know that you’re thinking about them while they’re at school!
What are your picky eater school lunch suggestions?
We love those jammy sammys. But, my picky eater goes to a nut-free preschool so it’s especially challenging. Right now, she’ll eat salami and turkey, but not on a sandwich. I have also done a little thermos with mac & cheese, or cold quesadillas.