Packing lunches would have to be high on my "really do I have to this" list! The yogurts that come home hot and I throw away, the squashed fruit! The never ending change in what they 'like', drive me totally crazy. Sometimes I think I will spice it up, add something new, be creative, surely they will eat it today... NOPE, into the bin it goes.
Tuckshop is my hero! When I really need them to eat for brain power in an exam or a sports carnival it always saves the day, I choose the semi healthy option for the 9 year old and just pray the 12 year old makes the right choice while in line.
Now, I hate wastage, not just of the food but of the money.... mention to them that "there are children who don't even have food" and the normal response I get is "Well it is sad but, that isn't me". I used to give that response to my Mum and I always got the 'I'm not angry I'm disappointed face' starring back at me. We are lucky we have chickens to give the food to which makes it feel slightly better but seriously! How much perfectly good food that the kids could have eaten do the chickens need? They are the best fed chickens around. All I can say is at least the chickens are eating all their food groups right?!
I love the "I did eat something"... to which I respond, Eating the treat i put in there doesn't count! I tried the you don't get any treats until you eat your 'real' food thing. I tried the you only get half your lunch until you show me you even eat that thing! I tired the 'you have to eat it for afternoon tea then' thing. All of it worked... or so I thought, until I put the treat back and they are back to old tricks and the chickens are well fed once again! I don't think I am bad lunch packer but apparently others do. I think it is officially time to admit that I have the dreaded 'Lunch Box Curse'. Now I will also admit my mum (love you mum) always packed my lunch, I'm not sure I had ever packed a lunch until I made them for other people, maybe that is the stem of my curse... thanks but no thanks mum (love you). I definitely understand why they don't want to make their own but it doesn't make them want to eat it any more if I make it and take away the hard work involved. In Fact they sneakily use their birthday money to buy tuckshop they hate what I pack so much, maybe simply because I pack it?!
As I said I hate wastage so one day when I found another lunch box full of food to throw away once again I asked very kindly... "Please go and get $10 from your room" sure enough he returned with the $10 and held his hand out to give it to me. "No, I said, you can do the honours". I opened the bin and pointed "There you go, put it in". He literally jumped "There is no way I am putting my money in the bin" ... "Go on I said" He put it in with a look of total life destroying pain. "Does it hurt" I said. He just looked at me... "Well that is how Mum and Dad feel when we throw food away, its the same as throwing money away. "Yeh I get it" he mumbled as he dragged his feet all the way back to his room. As he walked away I felt rather chuffed and accomplished, like the lunches I pack from tomorrow onwards would be eaten. When I go and pick up the youngest school goer I mentioned this to her... she turned and looked at me with an are you serious face... so of course I start to explain as she obviously doesn't understand the concept. She talked over me and said "um no are you serious... that's just silly, now we have wasted $20! Give them money to mum and dad" and with that she turned to look back out the front windscreen and said "so how was your day? by the way I didn't eat all of my lunch either".
Ok I get the point the lunch box curse has me and it isn't letting go! The 9 year old has out smarted me and I'm not sure the 12 year old has learnt his lesson. The chickens are back to being well fed and I am left scratching my head!
Sorry to admit it but there is no advice in this post, in fact... can anyone help me cure the curse! Help! Maybe I need to hire someone to make the lunches for me or buy shares in the school tuckshop!
Chantelle x
And now for H's weigh in...
Argh I hate waste of any kind with a passion. Happily though the lunch boxes returning here are often all emptied. Maybe you need to take lessons from me lil’ sis! Tehehe kidding!! There are plenty of unfinished containers that come home here too. Though I think what helps a lot is that there is no other options for him - there is no tuckshop at daycare! Also, the staff are the ones throwing away the leftovers so I don’t feel the pain… I’m sure once school starts things will be very different.
Browsing La Internet, I have found a few helpful tips, some genius lunch packing hacks. See the links below for some great ideas, and make sure you follow our Pinterest board “Full of Food - Kids” for plenty inspiration!
- A FULL YEAR!!! worth of lunchbox ideas.
- Would you consider creating a lunch packing station at your place? or do you already?
Seems to me like it would make life a bit easier… Another set up here, and more school organising tips
- The lunch cooler bag we use is by SoYoung - its gorgeous, well designed and not at all tacky, if that’s important to you ;). The design we have doesn’t seem to be available, but this red scooter one looks fun.
- Also just spotted these sweat free ice packs by SoYoung - how cool do they look! (Pun not intended. But I’ll take it!)
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