Magazine_Autumn2020_FINAL_09.22.20.indd

If you are anything like me, thinking about prepping for school lunches can bring up some drama around what your kids will eat, what you are okay with them eating and the delicate balance in between. After all, kids spend about 60% of their time in school and without a proper diet, rich in nutrient-dense whole foods, their capacity for learning dramatically decreases. As a parent, it is one of my top concerns each morning to pack a well-balanced lunch to fuel my little man for his day. The good news is that with proper planning, you can make your mornings a breeze while packing healthy lunches your kids will love. The planning starts with the container. My son Liam and I just went out to buy him a backpack and cooler for first grade. Liam was all about the character on the cover and I was all about the size of the cooler (thankfully, we found his favorite Sonic character!). After a year of arguing over what he will eat because all the other kids had colorful packages of chips and snacks while he had tomatoes and carrots — I knew I was not going to give in and I could make his lunch appealing and healthy at the same time. To make this a really cool lunch for Liam, while keeping it easy for me each morning, I had to find the right container. Plastic bags work just fine, but environmentally, I did not Prepping School Lunches By Kristin Ritter Nutrition Quarterly · 2020 – Volume 4 18 The Good Life