If you’ve ever packed a lunch or snacks for your kids, you’ve probably found yourself frustrated at not having the right-sized plastic baggie. This tip is for you.
I remember the headline as clear as day: Mom Spends Beach Vacation Assuming All Household Duties in Closer Proximity to Ocean. It was published on The Onion, a satirical news publication, five years ago, but is still memorable — and hilarious — because it’s true. So painfully true.
I have a confession: I never feel 100% absorbed in my self-care rituals during the day, even when my children are apart from me. As a busy working mother, I’m always managing something as mom. And while I’ve taken great strides to make time for myself during the day — to exercise, have coffee with friends, and allow myself open-ended space to be creative — moments when I can truly lose myself without worry about where I or my sons need to be next are fleeting.
Dinner gets all of the attention. Understandably, since it demands our time at the end of the day, when we’re exhausted and the pressure is on to feed our families in the short span between returning from work, school, and after-school activities and managing homework and the bedtime routine. But you know what? I’m also tired in the morning, and the a.m. rush is even less forgiving.
Snacking has taken over the way we eat and, given our propensity for unrelenting schedules and processed foods, this is a mostly bad thing. But I found one way that snacking can serve the greater good. And by greater good, I mean us parents who have the tedious job of packing (literally) hundreds of school lunches year after school year. I’m not a huge snacker myself.
Chia seeds are packed with protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids and, with just liquid and time to sit, they turn the consistency of pudding. It’s pretty magical and very versatile — and excellent for lunch. Making chia pudding can be as easy as combining seeds and some liquid, usually a plant-based milk.
Every school year starts optimistically. Sure, it’s hard to wake up earlier, but if you’re anything like me, the start of a new routine is energizing. I return to meal planning, relish fixed hours to get work done, and even devote myself to beautiful packed lunches — for the kids and myself — that will make us all thrilled to eat well, even in the middle of a busy day.
As we head into the back-to-school season, the idea of independence has been weighing on my mind. Maybe it’s because my boys are getting older — the “little” one is on the verge of 7 and his brother is chasing 10 — or maybe it’s that a backlash against helicopter parenting is bubbling. Whatever the reason, I’ve decided to spend the next year nurturing my boys’ independence, even when it’s uncomfortable and, yes, even around food.
For many families, back to school means a return to packing lunches. Making sure that your children are well-fed 365 days of every year is hard enough, but adding 180 school lunches can feel downright relentless. I understand and am here to offer relief. Get ready for the most liberating school lunch advice you’ll ever receive: Let your kid pack their own lunch box.
