PARENTING | The School Lunch Dilemma

When it comes to packing lunch for school, I like to try and keep it as healthy and nutritionally balanced as possible.

But what kid wouldn't love chocolate milk and pizza for lunch?

THE LUNCH BOX

For the most part my daughter loves predictability. Her favorite lunch is a PB&J sandwich with an apple, graham crackers, and a cheese stick. Occasionally I will toss in some fruit snacks or almonds because those are special treats to her. 

She also carries a full size, reusable water bottle that she refills a least 1-2 times a day. 

THE CAFETERIA 

From the FIRST DAY of first grade when she came home with a school lunch menu, and eyes as big as her dinner plate, she begged me to let her buy lunch. She used everything from convenience to nutrition - trying to negotiate a hot lunch deal with me. 

I glanced over the menu and calculated the cost in my head. The nutrition, as is the argument around the country, left a lot to be desired. The cost came in pretty close to my regular budget but there were some obvious discrepancies in which vegetables I knew she would eat and which would end up on a tray at the bottom of a trash can. 

I put my foot down and said no to school lunch.

THE RESULT

Aside from the occasional "I didn't like the yogurt" and "I'm not really into hummus this week," she happily eats everything I pack in her lunch box. On the days I try and add some variety, like a peanut butter banana roll up or turkey and swiss sandwich, she politely asks me to just stick to the PB&J next time. 

And so I do.

As an only child she typically accompanies me to the grocery store and there I allow her to choose which peanut butter and jelly she wants, what fruit she is "in to" that week, whether she wants cheese or yogurt, etc.

Occasionally she will offer to stray from her norm and the little Martha Stewart in me gets excited thinking about bento boxes and heart shaped sandwiches. But of course the inspiration wanes when she points to the crunchy peanut butter instead of the creamy and we end up packing the same lunch as last week.