I wrote a blog post a few weeks ago “My Top 5 Hacks for Packing School Lunches” and I received some requests for a similar post, but for picky eaters. I’ve got you. Here are 5 tips for packing a school lunch for your picky eater:
- Include them in the grocery shopping and lunch packing so they feel like they have some control in the decision making. Ask them questions like “would you like to have strawberries or apple slices?” Or “Would you like cucumbers or carrots to dip in your ranch?” They are more likely to eat/try a food if they feel like they had some control over what was packed.
- Make it fun with shapes. Quinn was very picky about lunches for a while there and I would turn her sandwiches into shapes. I used cookie cutters in shapes like a unicorn or whatever she was into at the moment and she would eat the whole thing. It’s worth the little extra effort (and wasted crust) IMO. I also use these cutters to make homemade uncrustable sandwiches in different shapes which are also a hit. Lastly, I would sometimes even go the extra mile and use these smaller cutters to make shapes out of vegetables like cucumbers and bell peppers. Gotta get creative with these picky eaters. I will also put this cute food pick into the fruit or veggie to encourage her to try it 😉
- Think outside the box. You don’t have to pack a sandwich and you don’t have to pack “lunch” foods. If your child loves pancakes or a muffin send that sometimes! Try leftovers if they liked dinner the night before. Quinn is not a big sandwich fan (unless it’s from Jimmy John’s go figure), so this year I switched it up and got this lunchbox so I could pack warm foods. I send Mac and cheese, pasta, chicken tenders, hot dogs, leftover pizza, etc. It’s been a game changer and she always eats what I pack now.
- Keep meals low pressure. Don’t comment on what they did or did not eat when they get home because this can become problematic. Also, just because they did not eat something doesn’t mean they didn’t like it and you should never offer it again. Maybe they ran out of time, weren’t in the mood that day, or not as hungry that day. There are a lot of reasons it may have gone uneaten, so don’t give up on a food because they didn’t eat it once or twice. Keep exposing them. Exhausting I know.
- The goal of lunch is to provide fuel for your child to make it through their day. So, offer foods you know they will eat (even if it’s random for school lunch or something that isn’t the healthiest, but you know they will eat). Slowly add in less familiar foods in a fun way as they get more comfortable. It’s also OK to pack the same thing for lunch over and over. You don’t need to come up with an elaborate new menu everyday. Stick with what you know works and try small changes along the way.
Don’t be hard on yourself!! Trying to feed a picky eater is exhausting and really hard work! Always remember their picky eating is not a reflection of something you did wrong as a parent. I work with a lot of older adolescents and teens who were picky eaters growing up and grew out of it along the way. Your child isn’t “doomed”. Keep doing your best to make meals fun, low pressure, and as balanced as you can.
You’re doing a great job 😉
xx, A
