The School Lunch Conundrum (with giveaway!)

September 26, 2011

Tenille

Now that school is in and we’re back to the ‘ol routine, it seems like many of us are already stuck in a lunch time rut. What do you pack for your kid’s lunch to break away from the bologna sandwich routine? My son would happily eat a bologna sandwich most days, but there’s got to me something healthier I can be packing on a regular basis, with the bologna being a part of his lunch time selection rather than a daily occurrence.

My friend Kelly turned to her Facebook friend last week with the same question:

She got some great advice from her friends. Me, I referred her to the Dempster’s Lunch Box Inspirations website, joking that one of the mom bloggers there had the most amazing tips. Cheeky as I am, I’m one of the 16 moms that are part of this program here in Canada, sharing our trips and recipes with readers.

School lunches have certainly changed from when I was in school – peanut allergies were all but non existent and we were able to take whatever we wanted without worry of how it would affect our classmates. As the mommy of a little girl with a nut allergy, it’s very important to me that parents respect the no-nuts rules in most schools but also that they understand it. No nuts means nothing that’s even made in a facility that contains nuts – that info is on the ingredient listing on packages. Your safest bet is to go with a lunch snack that has the “no nuts” symbol on the box or packaging.

So what can a parent pack if their child can’t have their favorite PB&J sandwich? Well, jam only is a great substitute – you can switch up the flavors of jam to keep things interesting and save the peanut butter for home. Cheese sandwiches are also a hit. Or, bypass sandwiches altogether and go with one of our favorites – sausage, cheese, crackers and pickles in separate containers.

Packing lunches is sort of hit or miss in the beginning with a new little one going off to school. I’d always rather pack too much than not enough (oh the guilty feeling mom that has a child say, “I was still hungry after I ate my lunch today!”) After the first week or two, you tend to get a better idea of how much is enough for your little one, and what isn’t going to be eaten no matter how many times you put it in their lunch kit.

I’ve learned that if the kids have a say in their lunch, they’re more likely to eat it – not that they get the fruit snack gummy treats they request (those are weekend treats) but they may get a choice between leftover stew or a sandwich for example. Or maybe blueberries or an apple. Like anything, when kids feel like they’ve had a say in the process they’re more likely to go along with it.

Take some time to check out the Dempster’s Lunch Box Inspirations site today – maybe you’ll find the next great lunch box solution right there!

To celebrate the new Dempster’s Lunch Box Inspirations site, I have a great giveaway to share with my Canadian readers! 1 of you is going to win a Hamilton Beach Panini Grill – perfect for lunch creations at home and to send on the go. To enter to win, simply share a lunch box tip here – we can all appreciate the advice!

For additional entries:
~ Follow me (join this site with Google Friend Connect)
~ Subscribe via email or Reader
~ Grab my button
~ Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link
~ Follow @FeistyFrugal on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway (RT 1x per day) Tackling the school lunch conundrum – enter to win a Hamilton Beach Panini Grill http://bit.ly/qjyj2j @FeistyFrugal #DempstersLunch (CDN)
~ Like Feisty Frugal and Fabulous on Facebook (please leave your first name and last initial so I can find you as a fan)

This giveaway will end on October 4th at 9PM CT . Giveaway is open to Canadian addresses only.