Tips to Get Your Child to Eat their Lunch at School

Many children struggle to eat well during the school day. Lunchtime is often rushed and overwhelming for children with lots of loud noises and strong smells. Some kids even opt to socialize outside of the lunch room or do homework in the library. As a result, children may come home from school famished and having barely touched their food. Here are some tips to help set your child up for success during lunchtime: 

• Let your child help with the packing process!

  • Brainstorm menu options with your child and bring them to the grocery store to stock up on new foods to include.

• Pack favorite foods! 

  • Make lunchtime easy and enjoyable so children can get a boost of energy to help them stay focused throughout the afternoon. While keeping balance in mind, try to load up on preferred protein foods, grain foods, fruits and vegetables. 

• Make lunch fun and easy to eat!

  • Pack foods that are easy to open and don’t require assembly.

  • Consider offering some liquid options as they are quicker to consume such as milk, yogurt drinks or nutrition shakes.

  • Make lunch more visually-appealing by using color themes, food shape stampers, food picks, etc. You can even throw in a note with a sweet message or joke!

• Ask for feedback!

  • Encourage open conversation and offer non-judgemental reactions about lunchtime. Try asking questions such as: “How did you feel about today’s lunch?” “Did you have enough time to eat?” “What did your friend bring for their lunch?”

• Load up at breakfast and snack time! 

  • Focus on the meals and snack times that we have more control over by offering a filling breakfast. Also think of afternoon snack time as a “mini meal” opportunity. 

If you have concerns about your child’s eating during the school day, consider meeting with their teachers, guidance counselors, or school nurses to ask questions and gather more information.

As always, if you are looking for more individual support with your child’s eating, reach out to our team to schedule an appointment!

Happy Eating!