I still make my 3rd graders lunch. I don't find it burdensome, usually everything is already prepped and portioned so it's just a matter of throwing things in a lunch box.

I do have my kid help plan her lunches though, and she'll make certain decisions ("yogurt or tofu today?" or "apple slices or banana"). So she's involved, I'd just rather she be eating breakfast or getting dressed instead of adding one more thing to her morning routine. I work from home so I am not nearly as pressed as she is in the morning in terms of getting ready to leave the house for 8 hours and having everything she needs for both school and after school activities.

I pack my ES kids lunch. They often take a hot lunch so I have to heat the thermos and the soup/stew etc. they find their own snack and water bottle and give me their choice of fruit. They also practice their musical instrument in the am so that's 30 min and I can make lunch and they don't have to find evening time to practice.

Yes, mine are 12, 9, 7, & 5.

Anonymous wrote:Moms have it tough. Op is making her kids a nutritious hot lunch every day and somehow society has her thinking she should feel guilty for doing it!

You’re the only one saying this. Is OP’s post triggering to you?

Moms have it tough. Op is making her kids a nutritious hot lunch every day and somehow society has her thinking she should feel guilty for doing it!

Here is what would happen if my kids packed their own lunches. My high school son would say he doesn't need lunch and then be a hangry monster later in the day, which would be my problem. My daughter would pack random things, maybe. And unlike organic homemade mom, we sometimes have crap in our house. She's in middle school.

They'll figure it out in college. I plan to pack for them until they leave.

Just don’t buy and stock junk, and they won’t pack it. What’s an example of a lunch you pack vs a lunch packed by them?

As a family, we have always minimized the use of highly processed ingredients and use mainly organic ingredients - which means that most foods have to be cooked from scratch. And you do sacrifice some convenience when you cook like this.

I used to cook and pack my kids lunches from K-12. Cooking nutritious and healthy meals is an act of love and the best thing for your family's health.

Anonymous wrote:No, my kids get free lunches in my state and they’re actually pretty healthy.

Once in awhile they want to pack, and when they do, it’s their responsibility to make it. I supervise (kids are 3 and 9). TBH I stopped forcing my 9 year old to bring fruit and a veggie because she doesn’t eat them and it just felt like a waste of time and food.

Really? Our lunch is free too and it’s garbage. Reheated food like pizza, bosco cheese bread sticks, frozen chicken patties, generic taco bar with liquid cheese product

I packed all the way through. I had more time. I liked controlling the use of leftovers. My kids are young adults. They are managing just fine. Both are lunch packers for themselves now.

Anonymous wrote:I really wanted my kids to make their own lunches (K, 3rd and 5th) but whenever they do they just pack junk. No healthy food and hardly any real “main” meal. So I just stopped and now wake up earlier and make everybody food in the morning so it’s hot and ready to go.

I sort of like it - knowing I am providing them nutritious healthy food during the day even when I am not with them. But am afraid they will be losing some sort of responsibility that might stunt them later in life.

In our house, the adults prepare the “main” meal and the kids (4th/7th) handle their own snacks and water bottle.

Making lunch says I love you !

Making lunch says I love you !

I pack my 5th and 6th graders. My mom packed mine through high school. It wasn't stunting in any way.

I have 3 kids - K, 3rd and 6th (going into middle school) for the first time. I pack lunch for the K, but the third grader and sixth grader are on their own. I did check their lunches for the first two weeks to make sure they packed adequate lunches and discovered that they were packing a lot of junk. At this point, I did not take over rather directed them that they need to put fruit and other healthy stuff in as well. Like most things, it would have been easier and quicker for me to do it, but I am glad that this task is off my plate. I do let the kids buy lunch once a week for whatever reason if they slept in or if they don’t feel like packing it or if they want pizza on Fridays.