If you’re feeling frustrated with having to make your kid’s lunch each day (as well as your own), you may want to think about whether your kid could start to learn how to pack their lunch. By starting simple, you can help your kid become independent in preparing their lunch in only a few months, depending on their age. Check out these tips which can help your kid develop their independence and confidence in preparing their lunch, and before you know it they’ll be offering to make yours, too!
Cleaning
Get your kid in the habit of emptying out their own lunchbox of old wrappers and food. Teach them where everything needs to go, and then show them how to wipe out the box and wash it up. Once they’ve got the hang of this, you can progress them onto cleaning any cutlery they use at lunch, so that even if you’re still making and packing their lunch each morning, at least you’ve got clean items to do it with.
Sandwich Construction
Sandwiches are a popular choice for packed lunches for several reasons – they are filling, tasty, easy, and quick to make. Demonstrate how to make your kid’s favorite sandwich, and then gradually let them take over each step. You can start with buttering the bread, before moving on to slicing cheese, washing salad leaves, and cutting the bread if your loaf isn’t pre-sliced.
Prepping Snacks
Show your kid how to wash salad leaves and fruit and demonstrate some simple cutting techniques. Once they can cut up their own tomatoes, apples and oranges for their lunch box, you can pretty much leave them to it. You can also show them where wrapped snacks, such as bars and chips, are stored in the kitchen so they can help themselves to these for their packed lunch.