Make School Lunches Awesome

     Back to school means school lunches, and school lunches can be pretty terrible. I just had a nostolgic conversation the other day about school lunches, but quickly realized that a lot of what I ate for lunch as a kid wasn't real food. Rectangular pizza, "extreme nachos," Cosmic Brownies, and the worst offender: Lunchables. 

"Lunch" = pepperoni + "cheese" + pretzel sticks. This is not a lunch.

I know making a healthy, tasty lunch for your kids takes some time and preparation. I'm guilty as anyone of throwing together a lunch on my way out the door full of things I'll regret later. While one convenient lunch every once in a while won't kill you, making a habit of it might. Here's a few tips for making your kids' school lunches tasty, healthy, and awesome.

Choose the Right Containers

     Choosing the right containers to pack your kids' lunches will keep your beautiful spread from getting scrambled on the journey to the lunchroom. Lisa Leake of 100 Days of Real Food recommends finding a container with individual compartments and a locking, leak-proof lid (click here to see her recommendations). However you pack school lunches, make sure your child can easily open all the containers and that food won't get crushed or smashed before lunchtime.

Ditch Processed Foods, Pack the Real Stuff

     Processed food is basically the equivalent of cat videos on YouTube; we might like them, but they don't make our lives any better. Lisa Leake has a lot of great advice about how to choose the right food for your kids' lunches and ditch the bad stuff. She regularly posts photos on her blog of lunches she packed for her kids to get you inspired to try something new! If your child demands Lunchables, she gives us some great tips on how to make homemade, healthy versions of the most popular choices. 

Leave a Note!

     You can make any lunch memorable by leaving a note for your child alongside their favorite food. Writing something as simple as "I love you!" can mean a lot to your child. You can write a helpful Bible verse, an encouraging phrase, draw a picture, or make them laugh with joke. Leaving a note is a simple and quick way to let them know their worth and value. 

School lunches don't have to be miserable. With a little bit of planning, you can make your kids' lunches awesome!

Web Catch of the Week: Back to School

As Camp winds down, the first day of school inches closer and closer. There's a lot of preparation that goes into getting your kids out the door on that very first day. This week's Web Catch of the Week features two blog posts about getting back into the rhythms of the school year. 

Kelle Hampton writes about "The Art of August Nesting" from her blog, Enjoy the Small Things. This blog post offers some helpful advice about gearing up for the school year from the perspective of a mom of small children. I especially enjoyed her advice about getting off on the right foot with your kids' new teachers. Read more about Kelle's insightful perspective here.

Frederick J. Goodall writes about the battle of back-to-school shopping with his 7 & 11 year old boys in his post "An Easier Way to Shop for Back to School Clothing" from his blog, Mocha Dad. Frederick explains how pre-shopping online before heading out to the store saved his family time and headaches. Check out his creative solution for back to school shopping here.

Feel free to leave your own advice about getting back into the school year routine in the comments. We'll be praying for all you campers and parents as you return to school!