A+ Tips for Packing Back to School Lunches!

This post is sponsored by Pepperidge Farm, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

With many kids already heading back to school and my own kiddos heading back in less than 7 weeks I am not ready for the school year to begin! It's hard to believe we only have 7 more weeks of summer vacation left but I will have to come to terms with it and start looking a head to the new school year!

What I am looking for too is lunches and having my kiddos help pack them this year! My kids, like many are picky and they like something different. It can be frustrating but I'm used to it and ready to take on the challenge! I'm lucky in many ways that my children are older now - 7, 9 and 10 and they are able to help pack their own lunches either the morning or the night before.

Pepperidge Farm® Bakery Classics Slider Buns are perfect for picky eaters. They contain no high fructose corn syrup, no color of flavors from artificial sources, 0g trans fat per serving and are made using premium ingredients. They are also the perfect size for little hands and come in a wide variety of flavors. Looking for lunch packing tips with picky eaters? Keep reading!

A+ Back to School Lunch Packing Tips

Let Your Children Help. My kids are super picky but not even that, they pitch a fit if I pack something and occasionally refuse to eat it. Letting them help pack their own lunch in the morning or the night before will help alleviate.
Make Lunch Fun. One way to make lunch time fun is by incorporating different foods, shapes and bright colors. Adults don't like eating the same thing everyday and kids probably don't either! A fun way to change up lunch time foods is using different shaped cookie cutters to cut sandwiches, fruits and veggies.
Try to Incorporate Every Food Group. I won't lie, I struggle with this one. My kids love fruit and most veggies but sometimes I just don't feel like packing them. I try to clean all our fruits and veggies right after grocery shopping so it becomes less of a chore. Tip: Put the cut up veggies in small snack size sandwich baggies that are easy to grab when packing lunches. Protein is also huge, whether it's peanut butter sandwich or lunch meat - try to squeeze it in.
Make a Lunch List and Shop Together. This is another great way to involve your child. Ask him/her what they would like in their lunchbox, make out a grocery list and head to the store together. This will help make lunch fun and change up what they are eating.
Don't Introduce New Foods. Because it takes so many times for a picky eater to try a new food, the lunchbox isn't the best place to throw in a new food you want your child to try and love. Kids lunch hours aren't very long as it is and you want them to eat what they have and not go hungry until pick up. Save new foods for dinner time.
Separate Foods. Some kids, especially picky eaters dislike when their food touches (I should know, I was one of them). Bento style lunches are not only fun, they are also a great way to keep food from touching other food. If you are using a container that doesn't have dividers, silicone muffin cups or even paper cupcake liners are great to separate foods from one another.
Be a Role Model for Your Child. You can't expect your picky eater to try new foods if you yourself are a picky eater and unwilling to try new foods. Making healthier choices with your children will only benefit them in the long run.

Fun Pizza Slider Lunchbox Idea

Ingredients:

Pepperidge Farm® Bakery Classics Slider Buns, 12 count pack
Pepperoni slices
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Pizza sauce
Fruit of choice, sliced if needed
Veggie of choice
Silicone baking cups (great for holding fruit and veggies)
Small plastic cups with lids (perfect for holding dips and sauces)
Square or rectangular plastic container with a lid

Directions:

Fill the small plastic cup with pizza sauce and seal shut with a lid.
Add a small handful of shredded mozzarella cheese to a silicone baking cup.
Add the fruit to a silicone baking cup.
Add the veggies to a silicone baking cup.
Place all the baking cups and 1-2 Pepperidge Farm® Bakery Classics Slider Buns into the plastic container and place the lid on top.
At lunch time your child will love making their own mini pizza sliders!