By Sheri Selway
This article is for kids! Hello again! I hope your first month back to school went well! I hope you are back to a routine! So this month we are going to look at “school lunches”.
Did you ever open your lunch bag and think – Oh no – This again! Why do I have this?
One of the best things you can do is help make your own lunch, and eventually you will be able to do it by yourself! At our house we made lunches after dinner rather than in the morning. We just don’t want anything else to do in the morning because getting ready is already busy! (I still get ready the night before!)
So while dad and mom are clearing up the dishes after dinner, get out your lunch containers and water bottle. You can make a sandwich or use something left from dinner for your lunch. Look in the fridge for a carrot or cucumber and a piece of fruit. Maybe you can find something else like crackers and cheese. Mom and dad can help cut up the vegetables or show you how to do it safely. Fill your reusable bottle with juice or water. When it is all ready, put it in the fridge and Presto! You are ready for morning!
And it’s a perfect time to talk about your day! Talk about what you are studying, what book you are reading or problems with friends. It’s easy to talk when you are busy working together. It’s also a great time to make a shopping list for next week’s lunches. “Next week can we buy some ______ for my lunches, please?”
You’ll also have to be careful to choose things carefully and read labels. Most schools want you to NOT bring foods with nuts in it and labels usually say “no nuts” or “may contain nuts”.
If you make your own lunch, you will know what is in it and be looking forward to eating it. You can plan to eat part at the first break and another part later. You know when you feel hungriest!
There are many reasons to begin to make your own lunch.
- Choosing your own food.
- A chance to talk and chat with your dad and mom about your day and about their day!
- Being independent.
- Recycling (Waxed paper can go in the compost, using reusable containers and drink bottles, etc.)
- Learning how to prepare food. Maybe you can even learn how to make some homemade cookies!
Have fun and enjoy your lunch!
