Kids Lunch box dilemma

So the school year is only just back but the never ending dilemma of the school lunch box has already begun.

You hear it all the time, the worries about good food wasted, the "my kid won't eat sandwiches", or the fear that they will starve at school.

In reality, they won't starve, but the mother guilt is always going to nag at us to make sure they are fed well.

We must remember, children will only eat until they are full, once we become adults that fabulous thing unfortunately turns itself off and we forget to stop when we are full and just eat something because we want to.

So don't worry mums out there, our children will not starve, we just have to find what works for them.

If it's Vegemite sandwiches every day, then go with it.

Here's a few tips I have found along the way having a sometimes fussy, vegetarian child who absolutely does not like soggy sandwiches.

• Soggy sandwiches are not a good choice as they always come back home, instead of a cucumber or tomato sandwich try two pieces of wholegrain/wholemeal bread with cream cheese, Vegemite, mustard or any other spread and put cucumbers & tomato in a separate container in the lunch box
• Pitta bread or mountain bread toasted cheese sandwiches
• Slices of cheese or a cheaper alternative to pre-cut cheese shapes is to buy a block of cheese and using small cookie cutters cut out shapes 
• Variety of vegetables cut into circles or thin sticks, cucumber, carrot, bean shoots, thinly cut red capsicum slices 
• Variety of seasonal fruit freshly cut or frozen in a little container, watermelon, berries, kiwi fruit etc or some tinned fruit 
• Dried fruit mix, dates, mango, cranberries, sultanas, pawpaw, pineapple 
• jelly with fruit
• home made custard in a tub
• home made rice pudding
• Mini savoury muffins or vegetable patties 
• Dinner leftovers in a Thermos 
• Rice Cakes
• Ryvita crackers
• Water is a must, in the hotter months use a bottle that can be put in the freezer and they will enjoy cold water all day long
• Mini Muffins,Mini Pancakes or Breakfast bars
• Muesli or mini fruity weetbix in a little container makes a great sweet snack
• Home made Granola (without nuts) in a little tub with a mini long-life milk they can later add to it 
• Home made oat cookies
• Home made muesli bars

Remember to keep things chilled with an ice pack, especially anything with milk, egg or rice and ask them to eat that at snack time. 

Even though I do a lot of baking I do not tend to add sweets into the lunch box as I try to keep it as healthy as possible, if a baked treat is included it will be a wholegrain biscuit or home made muesli bar.

These are just a few ideas which may help you through the school year.
If you are still worried about them, have a chat to their teacher to keep an eye on their eating, maybe they are distracted or eat very slowly.

What about you, what's in your child's lunch box, what do they love and what comes back home every single time?
I'd love to hear.

Good luck mum's for the new school year.
I am still pinching myself to believe I have a 6 year old grade one child...eeekk!! thanks for the sweet wishes!
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more about lunch boxes over here
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