If you’re trying to convince yourself that you’re a good parent, don’t search for “healthy lunch ideas for kids.” The top results will likely land you on websites run by child-free food enthusiasts who think that gourmet options like Asparagus and Gruyere Panini or Curried Egg Salad Pinwheels are suitable for school lunches. They suggest preparing the asparagus the night before—either roasting it or meticulously peeling it into ribbons—then adding cheese and lemon juice before grilling it in a panini press. Or they recommend hard-boiling eggs and crafting elaborate pinwheels with crust-less bread, using toothpicks for decoration. And let’s not forget, the “pinwheels” are served on a bed of fancy lettuce—not your everyday iceberg.
I love my child and want him to eat well. Since he started preschool, I’ve been packing his lunches with slices of nitrate-free turkey, fresh veggies, and halved grapes to avoid choking hazards. I’ve even used cute containers for hummus and yogurt, all labeled with his name. I’ll admit that during his shape phase, I cut cheese into various shapes, but that was where I drew the line.
While I appreciate the idea of meal prepping on weekends—like making cold salads or casseroles—I refuse to spend my mornings wrestling with a panini press while trying to get a preschooler dressed. I can’t bring myself to drizzle or pinwheel. In fact, just using “pinwheel” as a verb feels completely against my parenting philosophy; I need to conserve my energy for what really matters.
Even if I weren’t a working mom, I doubt I’d dedicate time to such fancy lunch creations. My own mother was a stay-at-home parent, and the lunches I remember were simple: a bologna sandwich on white bread and a thermos filled with Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup, complete with a handwritten note. There were no elaborate meals—she was too busy reading me stories.
One wise commenter on the “25 Quick and Easy School Lunches” article pointed out that sending kids to school with skewers might not be the best idea. Amen to that!
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In summary, the pressure to create gourmet school lunches can be overwhelming. It’s important to find a balance between healthy and manageable meals without compromising your sanity. Keep it simple, and remember that love and care come in many forms, not just in fancy food presentations.