Written forKids Cuisine on the Well Fed Network
I often struggle with our weekday lunch. It is the most frustrating part of the day for me because I have a hard time getting creative and making a quick and healthy lunch that my kids will enjoy. I am also very tempted at lunchtime to scrap the whole idea of eating at home and instead going to the nearest restaurant to grab something for the kids to eat. This option rarely includes healthy choices and often results in a budget buster.
- ABC – A few weeks ago we had days where everything we ate at lunch time had to correspond to a letter of the alphabet. For example, one day was the letter “P”. On “P” day we had pepperoni personal pizzas, pineapple and pudding. On “S” day we had salad, sandwiches, strawberry yogurt and a few Starburst for dessert. I get my children involved at the grocery store, helping me to pick out food that matches the corresponding letters for the week.
- Picnic Lunch – Indoors or out, changing the venue of your lunch from the kitchen table to a blanket spread out really gets the kids excited. Our picnic lunches are always special!
- Shapes – Turn a boring old sandwich into something fun simply by using a large cookie cutter and cutting the sandwhich into a fun shape. We did hearts and I plan on doing shamrocks for St Patrick’s Day. My picky 3 year old who usually picks her sandwiches apart, ate the entire thing and loved every bit of it!
- Backwards Day – My kids always get a kick out of having breakfast for lunch or dinner. They think it is so silly that Mommy forgot what time of day it was and made them the wrong thing at lunchtime!
- Kabobs – Buy some dull skewers and have a “Kabob” lunch. We’ve done this with different fruits, veggies, lunch meats and even chicken nuggets. There is something about having lunch on a stick that makes my kids really interested in what they are eating.
- Restaurant – This is the favorite for my children. I hand them a pretend menu and they get to choose what they want for lunch off the menu. I am their server and when their food is ready I bring them their meal. I refill drinks, clear the table and always remind them to tip their waitress. Kids love pretend play and they also love acting like “big” kids at a real restaurant.
I am finally realizing that lunch time doesn’t have to be boring and doesn’t have to include the lunch time blues. All of the above ideas take very little time and the response from my children has been so exciting. It takes such little things to please them and to make a day memorable. If you have any special lunch time tricks, please e-mail them to me at thedoyles at everestkc dot net. I would love to do a future write up with your ideas included.
Great ideas, Kristen! I have the same problem, but at supper-time since we have a hot lunch, German-style. I think the idea of a restaurant is fabulous, also Alphabet Meals. I’m going to steal both of those. I have resorted to sandwich shapes and cereal already!
Those are terrific ideas. You are such a clever mom.
Ooh, I want to come to lunch at your house! Awesome ideas 🙂
I think these are great ideas, not only to keep kids entertained with lunch, but for adults too!
these are clever ideas! I’m going to utilise them to brighten up my own lunchhours!
What great concepts! I hope that I remember them when I have kids.
What a great mom! I’m sure your kids will remember these lunches forever. And by introducing all kinds of variety, you’re teaching them early on that eating is an adventure. That will go a long way in keeping childhood pickiness from spilling over into grown-up pickiness.
I want my sandwich shaped like a monkay!
So many good ideas! I love all of them. I still do the "backwards" day quite a bit…eggs for supper. When I was little my mom would make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich open faced with the jelly in the shape of a heart. For some reason, that was one of my favorite sandwiches…I’d ask for it specifically! I’m actually going to post a picture of that soon. Another kid-loving meal is an openfaced hot dog sandwich where you cut the hot dog into pieces, lay them on top of a piece of bread with mayo (if you want) on it, and top that with cheese. Then toast it. If you like hot dogs, this is really good. You are such a creative Mama!
Uh… once again… May I come live at YOUR house!??! 😉
These sound terrific! Can I come over for lunch! 😉
Oh how cute!!
It’s just such a crazy and fun reminder to me about what matters in life. I am forever trying to get my budget to work or my staff to step up or IT to get it or something…but getting kids to eat sounds like a bigger task. 🙂
Once again, a reminder of how great of a mom you are!
Kirsten
I’d love to have a sandwich shaped like a heart, Kristen – you are always so thoughtful and kind and we can see that through your food!
What ingenius ideas! These are the types of memories that stay with kids 🙂 You’re such a great mom!
As for ideas…well, I’ve always loved any event where I could go in costumre 🙂
I really love the idea of sandwich "shapes." Can’t wait for spring time to settle in to make some cute ones for a picnic!
Great ideas! I found some very small cookie cutters (farm animals,shapes etc) and I make small bite size sandwiches for the boys.Theylove it.Very fun when we go to the zoo or a park and they have small rooster sandwiches or elephants ant tigers!
Kristen, you are such a good, thoughtful, fun, sweet and caring mom! I’m with Karen Beth–may I move in (pretty please!)?!
🙂
My parents did stuff like this, often to coax us to eat. I did a post a fewmonths back on the ethnic nights they used to stage! These are great ideas, too.
These are great ideas. Something I did for my girls when I was at my wit’s end one day — was an ocean theme. Cut some hot dogs in half (so you have two short hot dogs) Then, on the cut end, make 4 more cuts, lengthwise, half the length of the dog. When you boil these, those cut ends will curl up and it’ll look like an octopus. Plate that with some mac & chees that has some shell shaped pasta added (waves and sea shells) and some goldfish crackers.
My daughters still talk about that one, even though I’ve long since lost my "cool" standing.
Your creative powers are super impressive! And when you really get down to it, none of those things cost any extra money. As some of the comments indicate, I would think that some of these lunches will become the talk of legend.
Kris you might get a kids cookbook and let the kids measure the ingredients that you cook to practice measurement before they get to school and have to know 1/2, 1/4 etc. Also I use a tub full of rice to play pretend the measurements before really cooking with my school kids. They love doing this. When I taught measurement two weeks ago the students didn’t think they had math that day. Love reading your blog. Love to you and yours.
I love reading the comments to your blog. I feel so very proud that others recognize your kindness, creativity, and other attributes. I, of course, have always known these things as I am your MOM. Love–and pride.
I don’t have a kiddo at home anymore for lunch but those are wonderful ideas! I especially love the idea of "restaurant"! That is great!
I love these ideas! Thanks for sharing them. I don’t have kids yet but will definitely remember these. 🙂 Now if only I can make taking pills fun for my cat!!
Yikes: I will have to link to this SOON on my new website http://www.brownbagblues.com! Great minds think alike!