Stress-free school lunches (your kids will actually eat)

It’s hard to believe, but back-to-school season is already upon us! If your kids have been spoiled with lunches they love all summer, and you may be stressed about how they’ll adjust to brown-bag lunches when they head back to school. But you don’t need to worry–we have plenty of low-fuss ideas that will encourage even the pickiest kids to chow down at school.

Keep ‘em separated

Bento-style lunch boxes–boxes with distinct food compartments–are a great way to keep foods separate for picky eaters, and the compartments make it easy to ensure that you’re providing a healthy variety of foods. You can assign different compartments to different types of foods, making sure to include a compartment for fruits, veggies, and dairy. You can also send dips and condiments, like hummus or salad dressing, in one of the compartments or in a separate squeeze bottle or container.

Bento boxes are also a great vehicle for DIY Lunchables. If you have fond memories of bringing Lunchables to school, but are skeptical about the nutritional value of processed cheese or concerned about the amount of plastic waste Lunchables generate, Bento boxes make it easy to create your own version. Just pack the compartments with crackers, cheese slices, deli meat, and sliced fruits or veggies. Your kids can participate in the time-honored tradition of assembling their own cracker sandwiches, and you have quality control over the ingredients.

Shape it up

It’s said that we eat first with our eyes, and that feels particularly true for children–if their food doesn’t look exactly right, they’re not going to want to try it. An easy way to make lunch more visually appealing for littles is to use cookie cutters to create fun shapes. A kid who doesn’t eat a bread-shaped ham and cheese sandwich might be willing to try a star, heart, or animal-shaped one (maybe avoid using a pig shape, though). 

Cookie cutters are also a key tool for creating Pinterest-worthy themed lunches! You can use smaller cookie cutters on fruit and veggie slices, and larger ones for mains like sandwiches. Amassing a large supply of cookie cutters makes it easy to change your themes from week to week. Dinosaurs, space, and even letters of the alphabet make for fun, easy-to-accomplish themes.

Stick to it

If cool shapes don’t do it for your kid, maybe skewers will! Putting fresh fruits, veggies, cheeses, and meats on a skewer is an easy, visually appealing presentation that allows you to experiment with different flavor profiles and combinations, and kids love food that comes on a stick. And if you want to up the cute quotient, you can always cut the food into fun shapes before you put it onto the skewer. Be sure to include dips or sauces to tie the flavors together!

Creating fun lunches kids want to eat is easier than it looks–all you need is a few tools and a little bit of creativity. And if your creativity is running low, look to your kids for inspiration! Sure, that outer space kitty cat lunch theme may seem a little kooky to some, but if it gets your kid to eat their lunch, that’s a win!

The Leaf, located in downtown Wooster, offers a vast menu, making breakfast through dinner a delightful experience! Open Tuesday through Sunday, our culinary team creates amazing dishes that are sure to delight. Bring a friend or dine solo for a relaxing meal away from home.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest specials and new menu items. Make your reservations at OpenTable or by calling 330-804-0126. Interested in holding your next event at The Leaf? We are happy to accommodate larger parties or planned gatherings.