Summer is coming to a close and it’s time to think about packing lunches again. The challenging thing about packing lunches is you want to provide a variety but it also needs to be something your child accepts. This combo can make it difficult to keep the variety coming instead of rotating the same few items week after week.
But there’s a book here to help — a must-have resource actually. Fellow dietitian Katie Morford has written (and recently released): The Best Lunch Box Ever: Ideas and Recipes for School Lunches that Kids Will Love. Not only does it provide solid nutrition information and tips to use as a guide, the 65 recipes are easy enough to tailor to any child. I appreciate the different ideas on ways to diversify lunches with health and taste in mind that are also simple. Now I have tons of ideas for salads, wraps, crunchy sides, wholesome sweets and even some hot food I tend to shy away from.
And while Best Lunch Box Ever is great for packed lunches, it’s also good for home. Every Saturday I make a big lunch for my family and this is my new go-to resource. We tried the Sweetie Pie Quesadilla (sweet potato, cheese and black beans) and it was a hit! See this post for the recipe.
So if you are looking for something to get you out of your lunch-packing rut, this is definitely the book for you. For more about Best Lunch Box Ever see this cute little trailer and Publishers Weekly review. It’s a keeper for sure!
And the best news is we are giving the book away along with a set of colorful stacking stainless steel lunch containers from Kids Konserve (combined retail value is $47.00).
But that’s not all. By entering the giveaway you also get the chance to win the grand prize: a Dacor Distinctive Gas or Electric 30 ” range. Retail value: $3,199 to 3,399 (depending on gas or electric).
Here’s how to enter:
1. Leave a comment telling your biggest challenge when it comes to packing lunches.
2. For an additional entry, Like Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook. Leave a comment telling me what you did.
3. For a third entry, Like Mom’s Kitchen Handbook. Leave me another comment telling me that you did.
3. Because there will be one winner of the stove from multiple participating blogs, enter to win via this Rafflecopter below by clicking “Enter to Win.” For additional entries you can “like” Dacor or follow them on Twitter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The giveaway will end Thursday, August 22nd at midnight. Good luck!
My biggest challenge with packing lunch is coming up with ideas for different healthy things that my finicky son will eat. He would happily eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day, and sadly, most days he does.
I liked Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook.
My biggest challenge is packing something that my picky eater will want to eat! Finding alternatives to PB sandwiches is a big challenge.
I follow Raise Healthy Eaters on FB.
My biggest lunch packing challenge is creating fun, healthy lunches that my son enjoys. We need more variety! 🙂
My biggest challenge is falling into the trap of packing the same thing. Good luck to me!
My biggest challenge is to find the options that my son will actually eat. The problem is that other kids made fun of some of his lunch options that were on the healthier side. He took it seriously and now refuses to bring to school anything that can cause any bed remarks from other boys, making it almost impossible to pack a healthy launch… If I pack something that he thinks will cause other boys to make fun of him, he just goes hungry all day.
I liked Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook.
I liked Raise Healthy Eaters on FB.
I liked Mom’s Kitchen Handbook of Facebook.
Liked Mom’s Kitchen Handbook!
My biggest challenge with packing lunch is coming up with main options that are not sandwiches.
I liked Raise Healthy Eaters on FB.
I liked Mom’s Kitchen Handbook on FB.
My biggest challenge is packing peanut-safe, gluten-free lunches for my 5th and 7th graders, without it looking like a lunch packed for a toddler. Middle school is hard enough without showing up with the dorkiest lunch ever. I try to make the foods healthy, good-tasting, and cool looking!
My biggest challenges are dealing with two (out of three) problem feeders and then also food safety when packing a lunch box.
My biggest challenge in packing lunches is variety and nutrition.
My biggest challenge in lunches is making lunch for a multi allergic teenager and getting him to help!
I already follow you on FB, now I Liked Mom’s Kitchen Handbook, too.
My biggest challenge is figuring out things my 6yo will eat that will be okay in a backpack for 4 hours. Sandwiches, she has decided, are out. I found myself rotating 2 or 3 different “mains” with different fruit sides for her Kindergarten snacks. Now she’s entering 1st grade, and she’s bored of what I sent last year.
I liked Raise Healthy Eaters on FB
Packing healthy lunch options that will keep kiddos excited to eat lunch every day.
Liked Raise Healthy Eaters on FAcebook.
Liked Mom’s Kitchen Handbook on facebook.
My biggest challenge is thinking of something other than the mainstays to pack. That and getting things done in advance instead of throwing it all together at the last minute!
I like Raise Healthy Eaters on FB
I like Mom’s Kitchen Handbook on FB
My biggest challenge is incorporating veggies in a fun way 🙂
I’ve liked raise healthy eaters on fb
I’ve liked moms kitchen handbook on fb.
My biggest challenge is trying to get veggies and fruits that my sensory sensitive oldest son will eat — that work right in a lunch box. Hard stuff!
My biggest challenge with packing lunches is variety. It’s so easy to grab the same thing each day but it gets boring!
It’s definitely the repetition of lunch foods that are my biggest challenge!
My biggest challenge is that this will be my first year packing lunches for my big, new schoolgirl!
My biggest challenge is remembering (or having the energy) to do it the evening before, rather than rushing in the morning. Having some new creative ideas would definitely help get me excited to pack at night and allow more variety.
I liked Raise Healthy Eaters.
I liked Mom’s Kitchen Handbook.
I would love to have lots of creative lunch ideas. It can be a challenge to come up with new ideas.
My biggest lunch challenge is providing a healthy variety of food my kids will happily eat…I am a creature of habit as much as they are and seem to get stuck in a rut when it comes to lunch ideas.
My biggest challenge in packing lunches is coming up with enough variety to keep them satisfied. My two kids are picky eaters, so I’ve barely got a week’s worth of lunches.
Maryann, I liked your Facebook page.
I also like Mom’s Kitchen Handbook on Facebook.
It’s challenging to provide variety for a very limited palate! It also has to be kosher and nut free!
My biggest challenge is providing variety and not getting stuck in a rut of what I know they will eat!
I liked Raise Healthy Eaters on FB.
I liked Mom’s Kitchen Handbook on FB.
Hmm…getting a good mix of food that my daughter will eat.
Like Raising Healthy Eaters
like Mom’s handbbok
My biggest problems are that my children are very young and they don’t like change.
This will be the first year that I will need to pack a lunch for my son every day. I am worried that I am going to fall into the rut of the same sandwiches day after day because I know he likes them and they are quick to make, Aagh!
The biggest challenge to packing lunches is my daughter wanting what her friends get in their lunches. I don’t buy very much processed food and “kid” snacks, but she wants what her friends have.
I liked raise healthy eaters on Facebook.
Adding variety and interest so lunches aren’t boring.
My biggest challenge is VARIETY! I tend to fall into a rut in packing things I know my daughter will eat which are also healthy. I liked both Facebook pages!
Lunch is my biggest challenge. My oldest & I finally agreed on a few options, but I would love this book to get more ideas!
My biggest challenge is adding veggies that my son will eat
like Raising on FB
like MKH on FB
My biggest challenge is adding variety to the lunches
like Raising Healthy Eaters
like Mom’s Kitchen
My biggest challenge is having the energy to make lunches interesting (palatable to child) and reasonably easy. I make 41 meals a week and the lunches are draining.
Variety! I just can’t seem to come up with different lunches every day and rarely do.
My biggest problem is finding a food that my picky eater will consume. I feel like he doesn’t get enough variety.
My biggest challenge is getting my daughter to try new things so that I’m not packing the same lunch every day.
My biggest challenge when I was packing lunches was making sure it wasn’t something they would swap out. So, they had an erase board where they could list favorite snacks. My kids were fiends for fresh fruit and granola bars. Now the challenge is for me to have a healthy lunch because I generally take my lunch to work everyday.
My biggest challenge is getting my husband to pack the lunches so I don’t have to! I would love to see the options in this book as we are in a rut too!
It’s hard to find lunches that he will eat and are healthy.
I’m already your fan on facebook and subscribe to your blog.
My biggest challenge in packing lunches is kids only liking a few items, so packing the same things every day.
I like Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook.
I like Mom’s Kitchen Handbook on Facebook.
My biggest challenge is handling the defeat and waste when the healthy food comes home ruined and uneaten. As the year progresses I add more prepackage junk and less real food. 🙁
My biggest challenge is trying to read my 5 years old’s mind to find out which of the 6 foods he will consistently eat will be the winner for that day. He still gets new things to try and thanks to your newsletter, I know this phase too shall pass. 🙂
I like RHE on FB. Thanks!
I find that packing lunch is not the issue. The problem is that I pack lunches with their help…and once they get to school, their confidence is diminished when kids make fun of their healthy selections. So as a mom, I continue to educate and praise them for their healthy selections.
I left:
1. a comment
2. liked Raising Healthy Eaters on FB
3. liked Moms Kitchen Handbook on Fb
Be Amazing,
Teah
My biggest challenge is changing it up for my kiddos… they all have their favorites and I like to know they are eating, but they need variety as well!
I like you on FB! :o)
The biggest challenge in my house is variety. My husband gets bored of his lunches. He doesn’t work in a place where he could reheat leftovers, and i have a hard time coming up with anything other than sandwiches (which he hates.).
like Raising Healthy Eaters on fb
Like Mom’s Kitchen Handbook
Packing foods they will like and be able to eat in the short amount of time they have for lunch!
My biggest challenge is variety.
Biggest challenge for me is that my son’s school (he’s just 2) asks that lunches be “finger foods” and i find that very restricting. He’s quite good w/ a fork and I think that would expand my options a lot.
Liked your page!
Variety is my biggest challenge. It’s so easy to end up making the same thing over and over.
I liked you on FB.
I liked Mom’s Kitchen Handbook on FB.
My biggest challenge to packing a healthy, appealing lunch is finding combinations that use the same ingredients. I find myself wasting ingredients because we can’t use them quickly enough.
My biggest lunch box challenge is getting my kids more involved in packing them. They are soon to be 12, 10, & 8 and although I ask what they like and don’t like, I want them to help more in the process. Also, somedays everyone wants something different so it is sometimes hard finding something everyone agrees on.
I follow you FB
I liked Mom’s Kitchen Handbook on FB
Enough variety in the budget AND healthy. My kids eat anything and everything, so I am blessed with great appetites in the family.
My greatest challenge is being creative with fun-but-healthy lunches, having nut-free go-to’s for lunches, and also with just keeping up with the many weeks of packing food made from stratch….this cookbook sounds fabulous! 🙂
My biggest challenge is lack of variety! I get in lunch ruts and I know my kids get tired of eating the same things over and over… I need this book! 🙂
My biggest challenge when packing my daughter’s lunch is to find things that, in her eyes, are more fun looking than the person sitting next to her. Kids are attracted to fun packaging, and even if it’s not a food my daughter really likes, if it comes in a colorful bag or box than my daughter thinks she wants them. I’m up against lunch boxes full of S.A.D. items and I have to make the whole fruits and veggies I’m packing appear more enticing.
I’ve liked you on Facebook… for over a year now 😉 But I’m hoping this still counts as an extra entry!
My biggest challenge is variety while working around each of the kids’ specific allergies and issues. The 10 year old refuses anything new so his lunch is easy. The 8 year old is on a GFCF diet. The 5 year old is very selective and stores her food for later. The 4 year old is only up to 21 foods he will try to eat. Always interesting….
I just liked Mom’s Kitchen Handbook – great page… thanks for the heads-up!
“Liked” Raise Healthy Eaters on her FB page.
“Liked” Mom’s Kitchen Handbook. Good ideas!
My biggest challenge is my son! He is a picky, picky eater. I’ve had to get creative with his food prep to avoid the trap of the kids’ food industry. I rely on resources like Raise Healthy Eaters (and soon Best Lunch Box Ever!) to help him get the nutrition he needs, how we wants it. A very delicate balance that would be hard to manage alone.
Yes, I follow Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook–and now Mom’s Kitchen Handbook, too! Thanks for sharing your expertise to help me raise a healthy eater.
my biggest challenge is variety and trying to convince my kids to try new things.
My first child starts school tomorrow, so I’ll know my biggest challenge then!
Already liked Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook.
Liked Mom’s Kitchen Handbook.
I have a hard time coming up with new ideas.
biggest challenge – incredibly picky daughter. only wants yogurt with fruit or roast beef (not as a sandwich)
I’m a facebook fan
My biggest challenge is picking healthy food my daughter will actually eat!
Liked Mom’s Kitchen Handbook on FB
Already like Raising Healthy Eaters on FB!
My biggest challenge is keeping fresh food cool and hot food warm till lunchtime and in a manageable way that is kid friendly.
liked both your FB pages already. 🙂
My biggest challenge is finding variety food allergies.
Liked Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook
Liked Mom’s Kitchen Handbook
My biggest challenge is how other kids at school laugh at my kids at lunch time every time they bring something to school that is a bit out of the ordinary or too healthy.
My challenge is getting out of the lunch ruts with new ideas that my kids will eat, and giving them healthy choices that they’ll eat when their friends have the not-so-good-for-you version.
Our challenge is usually getting him to eat what I pack. Even when I involve him in the choices the lunch bag still comes home untouched or only half eaten. So then there is a whole other battle with him complaining he’s hungry after school and wanting a snack and then not eating supper because he’s full from snack…so frustrating.
Liked Mom’s Kitchen Handbook.
Liked Raise Healthy Eaters!
Fitting all the metal containers and a metal water bottle in one reasonably sized lunch box is my biggest challenge.
Also liked Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook.
Also liked Mom’s Kitchen Handbook on Facebook.
Biggest Challenge – dealing with a picky eater who only wants peanut butter and jelly or cold pizza. Everything else comes home either untouched or barely eaten.
Biggest challenge would be encouraging raw veggies.
Liked ‘Raise Healthy Eaters’ on Facebook.
Liked “Mom’s Kitchen Handbook’ on Facebook
My biggest challenge is variety and packing healthy- low sugar sides.
Like on FB
Like Mom’s Kitchen Handbook
Picking a variety! My 5 year old was diagnosed with Celiac and Type 1 Diabetes this year, and starts school- packing lunch is a necessity, no way around it. Keeping up the creativity is rough!