Build Lunch Options That Are Affordable and Nutritious With The Goal of Letting Your Child DIY 

As parents, we are constantly challenged to find nutritious food options for our kids. 

But, sometimes children don’t eat; are picky about what they will and won’t eat; or, are not empowered to make their tasty school lunch.

How does Lifetime Montessori School (LMS) in San Diego do its best to create a healthy Montessori child?

With a goal!

At our private elementary school, the goal is much like the Montessori Method: 

• Kids should learn to prep and feed themselves, followed by
• Eating what they prepared on their own.

A pretty simple way to build independence, self-awareness, and self-worth, eh? 

At Lifetime Montessori School, we’ve compiled a few tips for parents to help their children understand the value of eating healthily to help achieve your goal: handing over your role to them.

Parent’s Roles

First, parents must:

• Buy nutritious foods and snacks
• Make family meals inclusive in terms of having your children prep, table set, assist with a dish and clean-up, and
• Model appropriate eating behaviors to the child.

Kids’ Roles

From here, children decide:

• How much to eat, and
• What to eat from the food served.

Mealtime Concepts and Tips

You know your kids better than anyone. Based on that knowledge, you simply need to ensure that you’re buying a broad-based ‘menu’ of dairy, protein, whole grains, veggies, and fruits. 

That will translate into such healthy meal components as carbohydrates, proteins, starches, and ‘color-based’ fruits and vegetables.

So, how to employ this knowledge? Try these four  tips:

Grazing Is Good

You can teach—and your child will learn and follow—the ‘right’ items to eat. For example, you can create a Bento Box of assorted chopped foods like grilled chicken, sliced salami, cheese cubes, raisins, nuts, apple slices, and crackers. Just add wine! (Just kidding.)

Leftovers Are Good

If your kids liked it last night, they’ll eat it again.

Since Lifetime Montessori School has microwave ovens, a warm meal is three minutes away! So, soups, stews, pizza, chicken, meatloaf, and pasta dishes will help you pave the way.

Try Prepping a Pasta Bowl or Salad With Your Child

Start with cooked rice or noodles. Then, add roasted or raw veggies. Put your protein in—chicken, tuna, beef—add some olives or a chopped cooked egg, a little dressing, and, voila!

Sandwiches Still Rule!

Meats, cheeses, whole wheat bread, lettuce, tomato, fresh fruit on the side, and a drink always work.

Summary

Once you involve your child in the world of nutritious eating, you can initiate the opportunity for the child to create tasty school lunches. And, since they’ve chosen it, they will eat it! Try it, you’ll like it.

Check out the additional images of the process of creating tasty school lunches: