Healthy Homeschool Lunches

Picture from Bruce Van Patter Creative Lunches

I got the following idea from a post on Homeschooling-ideas. The post is about using bento boxes or laptop lunch boxes for creative lunches. I have heard of these types of boxes before, and have seen some really cute sets for sale online. You can stuff them with American food or whatever you like. If you want to use Japanese-style foods, I have found plenty of recipes online - just Google "bento lunches" or "laptop lunches."

For a creative lunch, you don't have to purchase an expensive bento set, though. Some small, inexpensive plastic containers can be bought at just about any discount store. We eat most of our lunches at home and I have several small glass bowls that are just right for serving small snacks, desserts, or side dishes in and make the food more appear more appetizing than if I just threw it in just any old bowl (for instance, those ancient margerine tubs my husband loves to use) or just plopping the food onto a paper towel.


I have seen some creative ideas using those bamboo skewers for fruit, cheese, or even sandwich squares - for little ones, I have read the suggestion that you could use straws instead of bamboo skewers.

Then there's the old classic idea of cutting sandwiches with cookie cutters. I even have a cutter especially for sandwiches that cuts off the crust and cuts out two dinosaur shapes at the same time - with little or no waste. I believe I bought it at Wal-Mart for around a dollar.

You could also let kids decorate their own lunches by providing a base lunch (say, a bowl of soup and a sandwich) with things to garnish with, such as greens, raisins, carrot curls, celery sticks - just use your imagination. Have the kids make faces or whatever they want on their lunches. I have heard the rumor that kids will eat what they make. I am here to tell you that rumor is not true in all cases. You'll just have to try it for yourself and see! ;)


For more great lunch ideas, here are some links:


FamilyFun.com


School Lunch Ideas


Bruce Van Patter Creative Lunches

For a post about the psychology of food color, visit this page at MiaZagora's Marvelous Munchies!