Package for lunch break
Text by Mara Coman.
If someone gave me 1 leu every time I hear "I'm bored of a sandwich!", Maybe I wouldn't get rich, but I would definitely put some money aside. Because this "I'm bored of the sandwich!" it's part of the dialogue I have, morning in the morning, with my little girls. And it happens especially during the period when I go to school, because it has to do with the package in the backpack.
I already have a few years of experience in making packages, more or less interesting. I leave below the lessons I have learned over time, because I am convinced that I am not alone in this situation.
Sandwiches are OK if they are different
It may not work for three months, day in and day out, but the little ones will be happy if they don't get the same kind of sandwich every day. It worked with us on schedule. I mean, together with my girls, I made a list of the sandwiches they like and a schedule. On Monday, bread with butter and salt (the most boring, but most appreciated by girls). On Tuesday, homemade pate sandwich (it's very easy, seriously) and cucumber slices. And the list goes on - it's subjective anyway. In our country, among the less common requirements are omelet and tuna and corn sandwiches.
Other suitable snacks
Not all children are fond of glue, but if you're lucky, it's a good idea for the package. It brings a little variation, that matters. You can put on the stick almost everything I said above, including the classic butter and cheese. I'm successful if I add a salad leaf - not because it tastes great, but because the girls like what it looks like 😊. Then I roll the glue, cut it in half and it looks a little fancy. Anyway, break the sandwich routine.
Other suggestions that may work: a slice of quiche, two, three meatballs, a small casserole with pasta salad. I know it doesn't suit everyone, but in our case, even a simple slice of pizza, Margherita, made at home the night before, works.
Lunch boxes
Children love them because they are colorful and have various designs; mothers, because they close well and the food does not spill through the backpack. It is clear that they are useful 😊. It is best to choose a small box, in the early years it will be more than enough. And then be open and use other boxes for this purpose: for example, those for organizing small things. They are made of plastic, the size of a small notebook and are divided into squares of a few centimeters. I'm not-you-put: put something in each square - cheese cubes, three, four olives, a few cherry tomatoes, grapes, even boiled egg, peeled. The advantage is that they close very well and everything you put in a compartment stays there, it doesn't mix with the rest.
For my girls, this kind of box was the highlight of a period when they didn't want to hear about any kind of sandwich. They nicknamed her the "appetizer box."
With or without dessert?
It's a personal decision. I avoid putting sweets in my girls' packages because I don't think it's appropriate to eat chocolate in front of colleagues who may not have sweets with them. I talked to them about it and they agreed. So I put a fruit on them (an apple or a tangerine that peels easily), although I don't always eat it. But at least I know I tried.
You can also read Mara Coman on her blog, maracoman.ro.
VIVO! has prepared all kinds of special offers for the beginning of school. We are waiting for you to choose from a lot of backpacks, lunch boxes and everything you need for the little ones.