Bag Lunch Vs School Lunch

With school starting next week, my husband and I sat down to discuss the situation of “lunches”. Will I be making our daughter's lunch, or will we prepay ahead of time for her to just eat school lunches? Its funny how I look back and it doesn't seem like that long ago that I was standing in that line with my plastic tray, sliding it down the counter, picking out what I was going to eat for lunch. But that was ten years ago. I know my children are going to be in and out of school before we know it and I've made up my mind that I'm going to use this opportunity to make lunch time at school, a quick and easy way to make her feel speical.

           There's many pros and cons to each side. On the pro side. I like knowing exactly what she'll be eating (albeit the unknown trading for something better, wink wink). All the fruits and veggies we buy are organic, and that's important to our family. I also like that I can write her a small encouraging note and slip it in her lunch box for her to read later on when I'm not there.

       Many parents will argue, "Why spend that extra time in the morning when the school will do it for you?" I see it as this, if I spend ten minutes each morning making her lunch, that's fifty minutes a week I've spent personally taking the time to show her I love her. It falls in the same category as washing and putting away her clothes, changing her bed sheets, and making her dinner.

      The biggest con to making her lunch is, I am not a morning person! And making a ham sandwich in the morning is about as hard as breaking into Fort Knox. I over think it and usually end up covered in mayo, mustard in my hair, making it much more complicated than it needs to be.

      When it comes to this topic, there is no wrong answer. As long as your child is getting the healthy foods that their bodies need to keep them chugging along, then it doesn't matter who made it.

There are parents that feel school lunches are the choice that they're going to go with and that's good too! The kids are offered something from every food group and even have the option of white or chocolate milk. Its all personal choices. Today's busy life styles do not always afford the extra time in the morning to “pack a lunch”. While the busy “working mom” may opt for the school lunches because they are more cost and time effective, the “stay at home mom” may be leaning more towards spending the extra time in the mornings to prep the lunches. So really take the time this school year. Sit down, plan it out, and decide what works best for your family!

 Here's a few quick tips for lunches.

If your child is brown bagging:
- Always know if your mornings are rushed, you can make the big ticket items, like sandwhiches and cut fruit, at night before you go to bed.
- Be committed to providing a variety of food  for your child. Even if you believe the same lunch you make is considered healthy, don’t make that same lunch every day. Sit down with your child and plan a menu with options that they can get excited about. 

- Include a fruit and veggie in your child’s lunch every day. And for vegetables, branch out from carrots! Make a side salad, veggie kabob or even make fun faces out of veggies and provide a nice dip so its not so drab.

-Take the oppertunity to use whole grain breads and Baked chips when packing a lunch to make them lighter and healthier for your child.

- Make sure portions are right for your child. Some healthy bagged lunches do not provide enough calories to get your child through the day. On the other hand, too many “healthy” sweets might push your child over the calorie limit recommended for a child’s lunch.
- Include a low-fat dairy everyday – either a low-fat yogurt, milk or cheese. For those with milk allergy, consider soy products as a good alternative.

If your child is buying a school lunch:
- Review the school menus with your child. Encourage them to make healthy choices on their own. That includes, for example, making the choice not to have ice cream every day. 

 - Encourage your child to eat the healthier meal items first to maximize their nutritional intake. Remind them that there is a limited amount of time to eat, and that their lunch will help them power out the rest of their day.
- Become involved in your child’s school lunch menu. Contact their school nutrition department and discuss any concerns you have with them directly.