Pack a Lunch Your Child Will Eat

Teach Your Kids About Healthy Eating

by Mac Duffy

You've been able to keep tabs on the eating habits of your children for most of the summer, but now that school has begun, we parents have to amplify our efforts to ensure that our children are eating properly when away. In-house school lunch programs can be nasty, and the idea of fast food alternatives is unacceptable for daily fare. Many of us must take the reigns and send our children off with a carefully, if not hastily, prepared bag lunch, but how do we combat the growing trend of children either throwing away their lunches in favor of not eating or trading their lunches for items we would prefer they not have?

According to Nancy Keating, mother of twin 6-year-old girls, Kate and Sarah, "Getting the kids to eat properly is always a big challenge. Whenever I volunteer for field trips, I make it a point to notice what the other children are eating to see what works and what doesn't." As a mother of twins, she knows "you just can't pack up the same thing for both and expect it to be okay...because they'll tell me it's not."

Richard Klein, founder and CEO of Chefmakers Cooking Academy and father of 9-year-old Jacquelyn and 5-year-old Joseph, has learned that "the trick is to take a little extra time with the presentation and include them in the process." A great piece of advice that Nancy says has helped her in the battle to get her girls to eat properly.

"My kids don't have a real affinity for bread," she says, "except when they're having peanut butter and jelly. For lunch, instead of putting tuna or chicken on bread, I put it in separate containers. I'll toss in some carrots, organic apple sauce, yogurt...fresh fruit is great (and) frozen grapes are a special treat."

It's not just about creating the right lunch bag combination your child won't scoff at. It's also about training your children to know the right kind of foods and to enjoy the process of choosing, preparing, and eating them. Richard says, "If kids can participate in making their food, we know they then appreciate the process. They take ownership of it and they are more likely to try it and not trade it."

"My kids absolutely love Chefmakers (and what they've learned there)," exclaims Nancy. "They are always eager to mix stuff and cook...it's helped them look at different options from sugar. If they have different options, they'll go for it."

The pay off is not limited to physically healthier children, but also children with enhanced self-esteem and ability to learn. Richard believes "there is a direct correlation between academic performance and eating right. If kids eat right, they'll behave better, act better, listen more, and, as a result, they will learn better." Adds Nancy, "by giving them a chance to help, it opens them up to different foods and helps to build their self-esteem. Kids love to create."

Richard Klein and Chefmakers are pleased to offer you a great starting point as you experiment with new lunch options for your children. So, grab the kids away from the TV, give the recipe a try, and enjoy!

For more information about Chefmakers, its classes, and its location, please visit www.chefmakers.com.