My first confession is I love pinterest and I use it frequently for meal planning. During the week I pin a few recipes that strike my fancy and at the end of the week I use pinterest to make my meal plan and grocery list. Usually we try about one new recipe and the rest are repeats of ones we have liked in the past. I use pinterest for decorating ideas, cleaning ideas, etc but one new trend I've seen with the school year starting is lunches. I've more or less over looked them since although Baby Girl goes to daycare all children participate in the meal program. This ensures that everyone eats the same food this helps with the stigma of free lunch as well as those kids with peanut allergies. I also love it because Baby Girl tries new foods and I don't have to think about lunch.
This week I was invited to join a "lunch ideas" group on facebook. Somehow I accidently accepted the request and lunch ideas of poured in. Fruit on a stick, sandwiches cut we cookie cutters, food made into animals, etc. I'm fortunate to not have a picky eater (at the moment- I know it can come and go developmentally). So I feel for parents that are trying to be creative to get their kids to eat, however I think its gone too far. Not only do these fancy lunches seem to be time intensive, they also waste so much food! Cutting small circles of pepper to make stop lights out of celery? Really? What happened to celery sticks and pepper sticks?! How much of that time spent will still end up in the trash?
One Mom posted a link to how to teach your kids how to make their own lunches. It was the post with the fewest likes. It boggles my mind. Getting kids involved in making their own lunches will far increase their desire to eat what they put in there then making art out of their lunches in my opinion. Maybe its the Occupational Therapist in me that wants my daughter to be self sufficient and make healthy choices without gimmicks and wasted food.
Add "cool lunches" to the pressures of being a perfect Mom.
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