3 reasons why kids should be making their own school lunches
3 reasons why kids should be making their own school lunches
It’s nearly back to school time and with that, comes school lunch making! This may be the bane of every parent’s life but if you’re looking for the best school lunch box making tip - I have one - get your children to make their own lunches!
What age can your child start making their own school lunch?
I would say from about age 5 years or so. My son has been making his from the age of 6 and it would have been 5 if I had thought of this sooner! When they are younger, they will obviously need a little bit more help. But if you put the work in now, your future you will thank yourself!
You need to step in early to ensure that you provide the food that you want them to pop into their lunchboxes. Have you heard of the Division of Responsibility in Feeding?
It states that we as parents have the responsibility to provide the food we want our children to eat. They have the responsibility to eat it .. or not! When it comes to the lunchboxes, offer your children the things you want them to put into their lunches and then let them at it!
Here’s my top 3 reasons why our kids should be making their own lunches for school:
So you don’t have to! Saves you a job out of the endless jobs we parents at home have to do every day. And yes, some patience will be required in the beginning and yes, there may be mess but do persevere with it!
Because children eat what they make! True story. Get them involved in making their own school lunches and they are much more likely to eat them. There will be no surprises in their lunchboxes! And if you want to keep the school lunchboxes healthy, make sure to only provide your kids with the food you want them to bring in their lunch boxes.
Because it’s a great first meal for kids to get involved in. It’s simple and pretty straightforward and children of all ages can make their lunches. It teaches them confidence in the kitchen and also teaches them about food - win win!
Some other school lunch box blogs you might find useful:
Essentials for school lunchbox making:
Cool Food School Cookbook for great school lunch ideas
Reusable snack and sandwich bags for eco-friendly lunches!
Safety food peeler so kids can peel their own veg!
If you’re looking for school lunchbox ideas, read my blog here about 35 sandwich filler ideas . We love to pack our lunches in reusable sandwich bags like these ones from Nom Nom Kids. You can grab them here.