Lunchboxes: Simple, Varied, and Actually Eaten!

Last Saturday, I hosted Le Défi Boîte à Lunch! at Galeries d'Anjou. Talking with parents, the same challenges kept coming up: finding ideas kids actually like, adding variety to lunches, planning good snacks and, above all, putting together something quick and nourishing.

If packing lunchboxes is part of your daily routine too, here are a few simple tips to make it easier.

Start with what your child likes

Before constantly searching for new ideas, ask your child what they truly enjoy eating.

You can also involve them at the grocery store by asking them to pick a fruit, a snack or a food they'd like to find in their lunch.

And remember, a lunch doesn't have to be completely different every day. If certain options work well, keep them in your rotation!

Keep it simple

Dinner leftovers are probably one of the best shortcuts. When you cook, simply plan one or two extra portions for the next day.

And when there are no leftovers, a sandwich is still an excellent option: whole grain bread, a good source of protein like chicken, eggs, tuna or cheese, with raw veggies, a salad or a piece of fruit on the side.

You can also take a moment during the week to cook a recipe in a larger quantity and have a few lunches ready to go. An orzo salad with legumes, a shepherd's pie, a hearty soup or a pasta dish can easily cover two or three lunches without cooking every day.

Add variety without reinventing everything

To bring in variety, you don't need to change the whole lunch.

You can simply switch the fruit, the snack, the type of bread, the filling or the side. A few small changes are enough to create variety without complicating your life.

Plan a few snack options

Days can be long for children, and their hunger can vary from one day to the next.

Packing a few small snacks gives them the chance to choose based on their hunger and their cravings: fruit, yogurt, cheese, veggies and dip, crackers, muffins, applesauce or granola bars, for example.

And yes, convenient, packaged snacks can absolutely have their place in the lunchbox too.

What if the lunch comes back home?

Before changing the whole menu, simply try to understand why.

Maybe your child was less hungry that day, didn't have enough time to eat, or no longer liked the texture of certain foods after a few hours in the lunchbox.

Ask them what they liked, what they liked less, and what they'd like to find in their next lunch. Their answers can give you good clues for next time.

And what about your own lunch?

All of these tips apply to adults too!

If you work outside the home, think about bringing your meal, a few snacks and water for the day.

And if you work from home, having access to your kitchen doesn't necessarily mean having a meal ready at noon. Preparing an extra portion at dinner can make all the difference.

Otherwise, come back to simplicity: a well-filled sandwich with enough protein, with vegetables, a salad or a fruit, can do the job very well.

In the end, a good lunchbox doesn't need to be complicated or perfectly different every day. Above all, it should be practical, nourishing, and contain foods the person eating it actually enjoys.

By

Stefania Vitale B.Sc. M.Sc.