What to do when the lunchbox comes home uneaten

Ah, so you’ve spent all that time making and packing a beautiful nourishing lunchbox for your kids and it comes home uneaten? Now what?

As disappointed (and annoyed) as you might be, don’t get angry, just have a conversation with your child about why they didn’t eat it and come up with an alternative option for the next day together. There’s always a reason and a workable solution.⁠

⁠Ask yourself –⁠

·  Did they have enough time during their lunch break to eat it? I find this is a big one with boys especially, as they’re more focused playing than eating⁠.

·  Was there too much food? Maybe offer smaller servings or half a sandwich/wrap instead⁠.

·  Is the lunchbox itself wrong? Your child might prefer a different lunchbox, maybe one that’s the latest ‘trend’ or like their friends have⁠. Make sure they know how to open the lunchbox and containers you pack too.

·  Is the lunch boring? Try to pack a different lunch every day, or a variation of it. For younger kids, try cutting their sandwich in different ways and shapes - presenting food differently can also help with fussy eating as they visually accept food that looks different⁠

·  Is the lunch too interesting? Some kids can be overwhelmed by too much choice and prefer a simple sandwich over a bento box⁠⁠.

·  Is the lunch too messy/fiddly? Some children are put off by fiddly packaging or foods that make their hands sticky. Try peeling an orange or mandarin, cutting a kiwi fruit in half and adding a spoon⁠ or including a napkin to clean their hands with.

·  Did they know what they were having for lunch? If kids are already feeling anxious at school, taking the guess work about what they're going to find in their lunchbox can help alleviate some of this.

Try enlisting your kids help with what goes in to their lunchbox: Make a plan at the start of the week especially if you’re utilising leftovers, let them choose their fruit and veg, and have a tub of (your approved) snacks for them to choose from.⁠

If it’s the veggies that come home uneaten, don’t replace these with a different food, keep including those 2-3 vegetables and get your child to choose them, to get more buy-in. Oh, and serve those uneaten veggies up for afternoon tea on a snack plate or with a dip.⁠

Want to know what our favourite lunchboxes are? You'll find them here.

Just don’t give up on getting those nourishing foods in there… it’s a process, it takes time and you’re doing great!⁠

Lucy x⁠⁠