Packing Lunch for Teenagers

[Anonymous]

No matter who packs it, I think your kid probably has better ideas about what they want for lunch than strangers on the internet.

I guarantee my kid would pooh-pooh more than half the suggestions if I decided to crowd-source their lunches.

And if they don’t have any strong preferences, then why fuss over it? Go old-school: a couple of sandwiches, apple, chips, done.

[Anonymous]

I almost thought this was a joke. Packing lunch for a teenager. I don't think *what* is packed is nearly as important as -- you should stop packing it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I almost thought this was a joke. Packing lunch for a teenager. I don't think *what* is packed is nearly as important as -- you should stop packing it.

Why? It doesn’t matter who packs it

[Anonymous]

It’s actually hard to find foods that can survive a warm beaten around book bag for a few hours. I think a narrow ice pack really helps. I think smoothies are good options because sadly kids have no time or decent eating conditions. I also think fruit (strawberries, blueberries, apple slices) cheese sticks, and crackers are always a safe option. In the winter a thermos of stew or meatballs with bread is good. Mostly I like to have protein food ready at 4 when they come home starving.

You don’t have to make life harder for your kids. Sometimes it’s the only thing a kid will accept from you. I say offer it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s time to stop packing your kids’ lunches.

No it’s not. I pack my hs kids lunch.

My teenager would be embarrassed to have a lunch packed by mom.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't stop because it embarrasses my teen, I'd stop because (to me) stopping would feel like better parenting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s time to stop packing your kids’ lunches.

No it’s not. I pack my hs kids lunch.

My teenager would be embarrassed to have a lunch packed by mom.

Same. Packing lunch is long overdue for a teenager. Teach him how to cook some basic meals and then let him make dinner for the family. There’s a mom in the college forum whose kid moves into an apartment with no meal plan and she’s worried what he will eat since he doesn’t know how to cook.

[Anonymous]

I can’t believe some of you still pack lunch for your teens? Don’t you want them to be independent adults someday?

My teen not only packs his own lunch, he also does his own grocery shopping using his own money he has earned from his job (but only for the foods that he can’t grow himself in our yard - don’t worry, he pays us rent for both the land and his room).

He also does his own laundry, cooks all of his own meals, and cleans his room and all common areas immediately after he uses them. He is not old enough to drive yet so we charge him the standard government mileage rate for wear and tear on our vehicles, plus an hourly rate when we drive him to/from places like school, sports, the grocery store, and the coal mine.

Most of you sound like you’re raising helpless snowflakes, to be honest. Do your teens even know how hunt and forage? Start a fire? Build a shelter? If not, you’re a failure as a parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do you pack your teenage sons for lunch at school? I’m looking for something other than sandwiches. Any unique ideas?

You can’t be serious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s time to stop packing your kids’ lunches.

No it’s not. I pack my hs kids lunch.

My teenager would be embarrassed to have a lunch packed by mom.

Same. Packing lunch is long overdue for a teenager. Teach him how to cook some basic meals and then let him make dinner for the family. There’s a mom in the college forum whose kid moves into an apartment with no meal plan and she’s worried what he will eat since he doesn’t know how to cook.

My kid knows basic meals. They don’t have time between sports, activities and homework and I have to make other lunches at the same time. Why wouldn’t you? Most college kids don’t have time to cook.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Let me clarify: what do your kids pack? I want to have options for them.

And by the way, there is nothing wrong with packing for your kid. It’s a really nice thing to do if you have a hardworking teen. Mine are way busier than I am, so I sometimes like to do this for them.

Yes, actually there is. Try raising competent near-adults. The rest of the world will thank you.

P.S. Don’t do their laundry either. You’re welcome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe some of you still pack lunch for your teens? Don’t you want them to be independent adults someday?

My teen not only packs his own lunch, he also does his own grocery shopping using his own money he has earned from his job (but only for the foods that he can’t grow himself in our yard - don’t worry, he pays us rent for both the land and his room).

He also does his own laundry, cooks all of his own meals, and cleans his room and all common areas immediately after he uses them. He is not old enough to drive yet so we charge him the standard government mileage rate for wear and tear on our vehicles, plus an hourly rate when we drive him to/from places like school, sports, the grocery store, and the coal mine.

Most of you sound like you’re raising helpless snowflakes, to be honest. Do your teens even know how hunt and forage? Start a fire? Build a shelter? If not, you’re a failure as a parent.

Sadly some parents do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Let me clarify: what do your kids pack? I want to have options for them.

And by the way, there is nothing wrong with packing for your kid. It’s a really nice thing to do if you have a hardworking teen. Mine are way busier than I am, so I sometimes like to do this for them.

Being able to pack a lunch is an important as being able to write a history essay.

I never packed my lunch until I was in the work force and I won a prize in history and went to Yale. Happy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Let me clarify: what do your kids pack? I want to have options for them.

And by the way, there is nothing wrong with packing for your kid. It’s a really nice thing to do if you have a hardworking teen. Mine are way busier than I am, so I sometimes like to do this for them.

Actually there is something wrong with this. You forget that the goal is raise your children to adulthood. Little things like planning out lunches, doing their own laundry, taking responsibility for cleaning up after themselves are all part of that. I guarantee your children are sorely lacking in independence if their mom is crowd sourcing how to make their everyday lunches extra special.

Your parents didn’t teach you social skills, kindness, or how to pull your gigantic head out of your own @$$.

Better make sure the kids know they’re still in the will; otherwise they’ll have no reason to continue to pretend they don’t hate you.

It’s downright depressing that kids taking responsibility for feeding and themselves (not even contributing to household chores!) is considered abusive and hateful.

SMH

It’s downright depressing how dumb hateful jerks on the internet are. You are *clearly* abusive and hateful, but one can reach that conclusion NOT because your kids pack their own lunch, but because of the way you responded to OP.

I hope that clears it up for you. (I’m guessing your parents made you feed yourself because they were busy doing your schoolwork and college applications for you.)

DP. Maybe time to take a little break from the internet. You don’t sound ok.

Np

Classic mean girl comment
Don't kick people when they're down

?? PP is the one calling people abusive and hateful over a lunch packing thread.

LOL did you even read that female dog’s comment to OP?

Yeah, I just reread it and I don’t have any problem with it. Maybe the eyeroll emoji was unnecessary, but I agree with that poster otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Let me clarify: what do your kids pack? I want to have options for them.

And by the way, there is nothing wrong with packing for your kid. It’s a really nice thing to do if you have a hardworking teen. Mine are way busier than I am, so I sometimes like to do this for them.

Actually there is something wrong with this. You forget that the goal is raise your children to adulthood. Little things like planning out lunches, doing their own laundry, taking responsibility for cleaning up after themselves are all part of that. I guarantee your children are sorely lacking in independence if their mom is crowd sourcing how to make their everyday lunches extra special.

You sound fun...

They sound correct…