Being a parent is a very tough job. Not only do you have to see that your kids stay in school but you also have to make sure that the little things are taken care of, i.e., packed lunch. Your kid’s packed lunch is your gift to him everyday, and it will be greatly appreciated especially if their cafeteria food is just nasty. Don’t let your kid suffer from canteen food anymore. Unless of course they go to a school in a district that has paid real attention to their nutrition program.

It’s very hard to work with a kid’s appetite, and still feed him healthy things. Usually kids’ taste buds seem to be programmed to like only candies and more candies. But if you’re a parent who wants to make sure that a balanced diet is not compromised, then you’ll have to be a pro at this.

The packed lunch has to be something your kids will want to eat. If you’ve been making sandwiches all week, then your kid has been definitely trading lunches lately.

Get a notebook and make a meal plan. It’s a plan which you will use for the whole week. Make sure you list a variety of lunches, from pasta to salad, to wraps. No repeat lunches, please! Look up recipes online and see which ones you can whip up.

Give them an extra Tupperware of cut fruits. You can’t get your child to eat much at home, but you can make your fruits more interesting by cutting them into bite-sized pieces and maybe some milk or syrup.

Make them order. Ask them to help you with their menu. Doing this will make your child more responsible and attached to the packed lunch. If you prepare something they asked for, they’re most likely to enjoy it.

At the end of the week, ask them which ones are their favorite, and which ones are the worst. Getting their feedback is good so that you can eliminate from your list the lunches they didn’t like and maintain those they enjoyed.