Lunch at home: Tips for families whose schools aren’t opening
For most of us parents, said Genevieve Ko in the Los Angeles Times, “feeding children is as much a mental and emotional struggle as it is a logistical one.” Below are some tips for how to get lunch on the table every day for children you thought would be in school but instead are home full- or part-time for another season of online classes. But logistical advice will be truly useful only if you first accept that not every meal has to be great. Some can just get the job done.
Create a routine. “Deciding what to make is half the struggle of preparing a meal,” so if your child is happy with the same (healthy, nutritionally balanced) lunch each day, roll with it. Otherwise, do what schools do and stick to a schedule with dependable favorites, such as “Pasta Mondays,” “Taco Tuesdays,” and so on.
Rethink the “lunch box.” Create a box for the refrigerator and another for the pantry in which you keep all lunchtime ingredients. That way you won’t waste time each day hunting for the mustard or sliced provolone and then returning them to their separate places. Embrace leftovers. “If there’s a silver lining to school at home, it’s the ability to reheat leftovers for your kids midday.” So favor dinners that reheat well, such as braises, stews, and roast vegetables. “Popping a plate in the microwave takes less time than slapping together a grilled-cheese sandwich, and it feels special to eat a steaming hot lunch.” Deputize the kids. If your children sometimes refuse to eat what they’re served, try involving them in the prep, even if they’ll only be spreading peanut butter and jelly on bread. Your kitchen will be messier, but less food will go to waste.