Packing children’s lunchboxes for school is one of the ways parents make sure their kids get the nutrients they need during school hours. Besides being cheaper, bringing food from home also helps prevent children from buying random unhealthy snacks, especially those that may contain harmful substances such as preservatives or textile dyes. Unfortunately, there are times when lunchboxes come back untouched or only half eaten. If this happens often, there may be mistakes in how the lunch is being prepared that you have not realized.

If your child frequently leaves their lunch unfinished, avoid blaming them right away. The problem may come from several common mistakes in preparing lunchboxes, as highlighted by Very Well Fit:

1. Focusing on Only One Food Group

Take a closer look at the menu you usually give your child. Sometimes parents end up serving lunches that focus too heavily on just one type of food. For example, if your child likes dairy, you might pack a carton of milk, yogurt, and cheese sticks all at once. Or if they love chicken, you may give them chicken nuggets and eggs together. While these foods may be their favorites, children can get bored and still need a variety of foods that provide balanced nutrition.

2. Cold-served Foods

Most parents pack lunchboxes in the morning before school starts. The food will only be eaten several hours later at lunchtime. By then, it will no longer be as warm and appealing as it was earlier in the day. Changes in temperature can alter the taste and texture of food, making children less interested in eating it. To help with this, you can use a lunch bag with an insulated or temperature-control feature to keep the food at a more stable temperature. Keeping food at an appropriate temperature not only helps increase a child’s appetite but also reduces the risk of bacterial contamination.

3. Excessive Amount of Carbs

Another frequent mistake in preparing lunch is including too many carbs in one meal. For instance, some children are provided white rice with noodles, or toast served with French fries. Both combinations are high in carbohydrates and can make your child to be full too quickly, making it difficult for them to finish the rest of their lunch.

4. Lots of Menus

Sometimes parents want to encourage their children to eat by offering many different options in one lunchbox. As a result, they provide a lot of dishes at once, which can end up confusing the child about what to finish first. On top of that, the portions may be too large, so children are simply unable to finish everything.

To solve this, try to pack lunches that provide balanced nutrition (carbohydrates, protein or side dishes, fiber, and fruit) in reasonable portions for your child’s age and appetite.

5. Lack of Menu Variety

It is normal for children to have favorite foods, but that does not mean you should serve the same menu over and over again. If you keep packing similar meals every day, your child may get bored and lose interest in eating their lunch. Offer a variety of combinations throughout the week so they can enjoy different flavors and still meet their nutritional needs.

To help your child eat their lunch more optimally, set aside time to plan a weekly lunch menu together. In addition by choosing the dishes, invite your child to help assemble and prepare the contents of their lunchbox. This involvement can make them more excited to eat because they had a role in the preparation and feel that the lunch truly belongs to them.

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