Lunch Time Success At School

Lunch Time Success
Lunch at school can be a stressful time especially when it is a child’s first time eating a meal away from Mom and Dad.  As parents our tendency is to “help” them aim for success but sometimes that help leads to stress when your child does not have practice making mealtime decisions or know how to open containers, eat a sandwich etc.   As many of our students are getting ready to move on to their next educational milestone we wanted to touch upon this to help prepare both parents and students.
Below are some tips to help with lunch time success.  Children heading to Kindergarten or first grade in the fall should be able independently accomplish these tasks.
  1. Pack food your child likes.  Even if it is the same every day!
  1. Don’t overpack worrying they will be hungry.  Maybe pack 1 extra item, however you know how much your child typically  eats and you should pack accordingly.
  1. Make sure to follow the school rules regarding allergies.  Your child may not be able to eat the peanut butter sandwich you packed if it is a peanut free school.
  1. Let your child practice opening and closing the containers in his lunch, including ziplock baggies.
  1. Speak to your child about what they should eat first, which is dessert etc.
  1. Give them  some responsibility in regards to their lunch.  (let them pack it up, help make it, empty it from their bag etc.)  
  1. Make sure they have the utensils they need for success.
  1. Invest in a good thermos to keep foods hot.  It is not always feasible to  heat up food on demand. (you may want to check on your school's policy)

  1. If your child tends to eat slowly begin setting time limits at meal times. Some schools have strict time limits for lunch schedules.

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