How to Make Super Awesome Kid’s Lunches

“One thing I had learned from watching chimpanzees with their infants is that having a child should be fun.” – Jane Goodall…  One of the main reasons that I wanted to be a work at home mom was that I wanted to be here to spend time with Abby every day. {You can read my story of how I got started here, on Start-Up Nation.} Then about a year ago I realized that I was spending way too much time working, and not enough time being a mom. I caught myself saying things like, “Not now,” or “in a little bit, mommy’s working” – way too often. So, I made a point to take afternoons off, and have that be “Me & Abby” time.

We love to have themed afternoons – we pick a book or movie, make a themed lunch, and do a craft or play a game together. So, to help give you a little inspiration on how to have a super fun afternoon – including a super awesome lunch idea – I’ll share a few tips on how I put things together.

First of all, you need some cool tools. I noticed a long time ago, with my first nephew, that kids are more likely to eat things when they’re in bite-sized pieces, and separated into different spots. Which is probably why most toddler plates have segmented openings, and why the whole Bento Box trend is so popular. I use a really simple version of the Bento Box – the Ziploc Lunchbox. The next thing I did was look around the kitchen to see what I already had – things like cookie cutters, cupcake liners, and sprinkles. I tell ya, kids will eat anything in the world if you shake a couple of sprinkles on it. Sure, there not the healthiest thing ever, but if means Abby will eat a balanced meal, it’s worth a handful of sprinkles :)

After you gather what you already have, you’ll want to stock up on just a few fun extras. {Once you start making “fun foods” – you’ll get addicted to buying creative tools and supplies, seriously.} I like the alphabet and shape cutters that are usually used for fondant – they’re perfect for cutting small shapes in things like cheese, or stamping words on sandwiches. I also am totally in love with the super fun selection of “picks” you can find on Amazon – we have these ocean themed ones, a set of jungle animals, Hello Kitty, and more. You can use them to thread blueberries or grapes onto, stick ’em into a cherry tomato – they just bring some fun to lunchtime. And they’re totally reusable.

Another tip is to keep great “grab and go” type products on hand. At the beginning of the week, I restock our snack cubby in the pantry, and our snack drawer in the fridge. I buy crackers and fruit snacks in bulk, and then portion them out into little plastic baggies. And I love things like Mott’s®. Snack & Go Applesauce Pouches – healthy, fun, and affordable, all in one little package! And instead of those other kids drink pouches with less juice, why not offer up a 100% apple juice alternative, from Mott’s? Just as easy and portable, but without all of the added ingredients. When you stock your kitchen with foods that are healthy AND fun, with such fun graphics on the package, kids love ’em.

Put everything together, and you end up with super fun themed lunches, with little effort. This was yesterday’s lunch – with a dinosaur theme. I made a simple salad with greens and tomatoes from our garden, topped with a peanut butter sandwich cut into a dinosaur shape. I added some pieces of cheese cut into spiky shapes {less than 30 seconds with a knife}, a little dino toy, a container of baby carrots cut in half, and some ranch dressing. {I get the dressing cups at Walmart, near where you buy paper plates. A couple bucks and you get a ton!} Then I added a hard-boiled “dinosaur” egg, and our favorite Mott’s Grab & Go sauce and juice boxes. Healthy – but fun. Which means even the pickiest kid will actually eat it!

Abby loves Mott’s because it’s “yummy in my tummy!” I love Mott’s because they have some of the best healthy snacks that are perfect on the go – for her, and for me too! Be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter for updates on fun new products and promotions.

Thank you Mott’s® and Technorati for being sponsors of this article. All opinions expressed here are my own.