For the most part, parents look forward to school starting in the fall: finally, the kids will get out of the house. But there is a downside: the return of… the lunch.
Ah, the lunch. Or more to the point, the making of the lunch. I find it amazing that (a) many people refer to their children's lunches as "the lunch" (I thought it was just my wife and I until I starting hearing other people say it), and (b) how many parents fight over whose turn it is to make said lunch. (This is assuming that your marriage involves some sharing of parental duties, unlike, you know, these people.)
LancasterOnline.com has an article called "Modern-day lunches rock," featuring "creative and healthy back-to-school ideas won’t end up in the cafeteria trash can." This assumes that your kids have the option to purchase lunchfoods in their school cafeteria.
With headings like, "Fruit can be fun," I didn't have high hopes for these tips, and my low expectations were mostly rewarded. (Put dip with their vegetables! That way any health benefits are offset by greasy calories!) There were a few decent ideas, such as sending breakfast foods for a change of pace, or letting the kids pack their own damn lunch. (They didn't put it quite that bluntly.) That seems like the best advice of all, assuming you monitor their choices. Otherwise you might hear, "For variety, I put in two kinds of chips – chocolate AND potato." There are also tips on how to make the lunch-making process less painful, although some of them assume that you have more time that you may (well, more time than I do, anyway.)
Personally, I think some discipline is in order. Maybe lunch shouldn't be fun. Maybe it should just be… food.
Image/source: LancasterOnline.com
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