The Dreaded Lunchbox

Packing lunches is really one of the worst parts of being a parent. It shouldn’t be that much of a struggle. Our main job is just to keep them alive with food and water. But the mushy bread, the monotony of the cracker, and the wilted fruit wears on a mother like nothing else. You struggle every morning to get some breakfast in the kids bellies and get them out the door. If that isn’t hard enough, the lunchbox is calling for you, looking dirty from lunchroom germs, and at 7am you have no creativity. Coffee doesn’t help unless you have chugged the pot. So, it’s unappealing lunch on repeat. 

There are so many wonderful lunchbox ideas and blog posts all over the internet. I look at them often, but can never seem to pull the trigger. There are so many good excuses: my kids are too picky, they won’t eat cold leftovers…Who am I kidding? They won’t eat any leftovers.  I have tried dinosaur and heart shaped sandwiches, lunchbox jokes, and the dreaded hot thermos. Nothing stands the test of time, aka the school year. Sometimes I want to be better, but in all honesty most of the time I’m just hoping for a good school lunch menu my kids will eat. 

But there is one day a year I do shine. Sadly, it really is only once. The 100^th day of school is my moment. I send them to school dressed like an old lady, with 100 googly eyes on their shirt, or with the poster board complete with 100 stickers! (I don’t mind school dress up days or poster board projects. I will blog about that another time.) The lunchbox, however, is the holy grail of the 100^th day! My oldest says she is too old for it, but I make her humor me anyway.  

I fill each lunchbox with 100 pieces of food. Ten sets of ten foods, separated by compartments and muffin liners. Easy, simple, fun and in my case, non-organic. However, the health conscious, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free kids can all participate. I would argue that for kids with allergies, this could be a really great way to add some creativity to their lunchbox. This 100^th day lunch is something different and might even make them use their math skills in the lunch room! We can all hope, right?

The options are endless as to what you put in it. I do try to offer some protein, veggies and fruit, mixed with some fun, old-fashioned junk. The key is to make everything small or bite sized and use one large container. A bento-box style container works great. I love Easy Lunchboxes. Some of favorite food options are chicken, blueberries, marshmallows, raisins, oyster crackers, chocolate chips and cut up cheese. You can cut up granola bars, use mini cookies, or any type of little cracker. And if you are insistent on a sandwich… bite sized pieces work.

The 100th day lunch box is a great way to add some pep to your step, take some joy in the process of the packing and give your kid some awesome lunchroom street cred! Making Merry for your kids all year is hard work, but sometimes the little things (or little pieces) go a long way.