For stay at home or working moms, back to school means back to a familiar routine; back to the hustle and bustle of mornings, preparing for each new day of learning. By now, you're well-stocked on ziploc bags, glue sticks, anti-bacterial wipes, and conveniently packaged lunch time snacks!
Our son, Elijah, is eight and, like many in his peer group, is a picky eater. If you can relate to this, you know that the perfectly put together, well-balanced, infused with 'mommy love' lunch you make for your little darling will most likely be traded away faster than you can say “More sugar please.” After all, the eats are always better in some other kid's bag.
I try to surround Elijah's main dish with snacks that are natural, that way we'll both be happy. He loves green and red grapes, clementines, and real cheddar cheese. Anything that comes in a package we try to get from the health food store. We look for Certified Organic seals and check to make sure there is no high fructose corn syrup in any of our choices. You do the best you can. Elijah wanted those well-known sticky cereal/marshmallow squares but I just... couldn't... go there. I love the fact that Promax makes Fit 'n Crisp because they are such a yummy and healthy alternative to the sticky stuff. Also, Fit 'n Crisp doesn't get traded away when I put one in his lunchbox (insert Happy Mommy dance here).
Since Billy and I travel all over the world with our son promoting Dance With Me, we take Elijah's insulated lunchbox everywhere. We do the same thing for ourselves so he doesn't feel he's being treated like a baby or deprived of something. Kids will always try to get more junk into their diet, but with a pre-packed snack bag you're taking control as the parent and basically saying "Hey, if it's in here you can have it whenever you want. Anything else is off limits.”
Let your kids express their individuality by choosing their own containers. Japanese Bento boxes continue to be very popular with American children. Most adults who have trouble keeping their weight down say that one of the main reasons is the convenience of candy, chips, soda, etc. By planning the night before and putting together healthy foods that keep you energized all day, you're setting a great example for your children. Two life lessons at the same time; organization, and taking control over what you put in your body. Winner winner, portion-controlled dinner!
Since your local grocery store has BPA free, recyclable containers for anything you want to travel with, there are no excuses. A busy schedule doesn't have to contribute to bad nutritional habits. Let's face it. We're moms. We're always going to be busy. Because Life Is Go!