According to eHow.com, making sure that children eat healthy meals can be one of the biggest challenges for parents. But if you're creative, flexible and organized, you can make lunches that your child will enjoy eating.

Thinking Ahead

1. Involve your child in the shopping and preparation. Choosing containers, selecting bread and helping to pack the lunch all encourage a child to feel invested in the process.
2. Prepare as much as possible the night before. Freeze juice boxes, refrigerate sandwiches, cut vegetables or portion out pasta. This will also allow your child to help out more easily.
3. Prepare ingredients in bulk. Keep enough cut fruit for several days and put in plastic containers. Slice meats and cheeses for the week, and place a week's worth of individual portions between pieces of wax paper.

Making Lunch Fun

1. Vary ingredients. Instead of just regular bread slices, make sandwiches with shaped rolls, pita bread, English muffins, raisin bread, crackers or bagels.
2. Incorporate unusual shapes or colors. Make wheel-shaped pasta or green noodles. Cut turkey and ham slices with cookie cutters.
3. Make the meal hands-on or interesting to eat. Include a little container of dip for vegetables, or crunchy stir-ins for yogurt.
4. Include funny cartoons, silly photos, riddles or stickers. Write supportive notes reminding your child that he will do fine on the spelling test or that you'll be cheering her on at the basketball game. Collect fun inserts and write notes in advance, then tuck them away. Keep in mind, though, that older children are easily embarrassed among their peers.
5. Alternate lunch containers.

Taking Precautions

1. Wash fruits and vegetables before packing them.
2. Use an insulated container for hot foods.
3. Invest in reusable insulated lunch boxes. Keep two or three gel packs in the freezer, so you'll always have one ready. Refrigerate foods overnight.

Back to the Lunch Room.