I know with Ryley this is a huge issue for us. And yes, I admit I have had many lunches come home not touched. Then one day I had that moment where everything became clear. I was making two crucial mistakes. How can you make a mistake while making a lunch? It seems straight forward right. But with a picky child it is not so straight forward. It can actually be a huge challenge. So I am going to break down how we do it with less stress and more success.

First I want to say we live in a state that provides free breakfast and lunch to each and every child. So we start by printing off the monthly lunch list and go day by day. Ryley and I circle the days she will eat what they provide at school. I leave this list on the fridge and check it after dinner each night.

I try and give Ryley some control over what she wants to buy for her lunch. When I get home, I divide everything into small containers. She then comes with me after dinner and we make her lunch at night when she is not tired and rushed. I have the containers labels with how many she picks from each. She gets two healthy choices, a drink choice, one treat and the sandwich or crackers, cheese, and meat she wants.