“Here’s the real news: Lunch-packing isn’t about food groups and how much of which items the kids eat. Lunch-packing is about providing OPPORTUNITY.” -Brianne DeRosa
I’ve decided lately that I have a small talent for curating information, ideas, and people, and bringing them together here via my EasyLunchbox Blog. I share other peoples’ words of wisdom and then go on the hunt for more. When I say that Google is my best friend, no one gets jealous, and until my computer crashes, my best friend is always there for me. I have to admit, it’s a pretty one-sided relationship. This is a friend that gives and gives and never asks me to return the favor.
So I simply thank my little massively-popular, ruler-of-the-world friend for all it’s (is Google a he or a she?) gifts by sharing. And today I’m spreading words of wisdom from a new favorite blogger friend, Brianne DeRosa of Red, Round, or Green.
I actually came across Bri’s blog via Bettina Elias Siegel who writes The Lunch Tray, a very popular blog about, well, you know I’m not going to shock you with this, kids and lunch.
I’m an OK writer. But I’m a much better appreciator of other people’s writing. So when I read something great, why not just pass it along? Enough me, here’s Bri:
Bri’s Lunchbox Philosophies – a 3-Part Series
I’ve only highlighted short excerpts from Bri’s posts. Please click the links below for all 
- Part I: The Opportunity
Lunchboxes are not different from the other meals we feed our children; they have their own challenges, certainly, but when it comes right down to it, they’re just another meal. Just one more time in the day to plunk down some nourishment in front of the kids, and hopefully, give them a carefully veiled lesson or two in the food values our individual families try to uphold. Sometimes I think we talk so much about wasting food, money, and time at school lunch, that we don’t talk enough about the wasted opportunities to help our kids become the conscious eaters we want them to be. Read MORE…
- Part II: The Interest
Yes folks, at some point I was going to have to admit to you that packing the kids’ lunches DOES have something to do with keeping them (and you) interested in the lunchbox fare …kids — even the very selective ones — DO like interesting food and interesting presentations, and they will respond to your efforts, even if it’s just making sure that you do better than squishing a tuna on rye into a plastic baggie and weighting it down with an apple. Balancing the need to keep their interest in lunch with children’s inherent need for familiarity can be tricky, to say the least …so I’m walking the line just like everybody else, between packing what I know he’ll eat and what I want him to eat. Read MORE…
- Part III: 30 or So Extra Lunch Ideas
The big tip: Regular readers know how I feel about the whole concept of “kid food” (hint: it’s not very favorably). However, I fully accept the fact that for SOME kids, watching everyone else eat the cafeteria chicken nuggets and tater tots will be unbearable when they’re faced with Mom or Dad’s healthy unprocessed lunch. So here’s my thing about “kid foods” like these: As long as you MAKE THEM YOURSELF with RESPONSIBLY SOURCED INGREDIENTS, I confer upon you all blessings to pack them in your child’s lunchbox as often as the kids request (and you can stand it). Read MORE…
And don’t miss Bri’s terrific article A Lunchbox Strategy Session on The Lunch Tray.
Brianne DeRosa hangs out at farmers’ markets, talks to growers, reads reads reads about food and agriculture, feeding kids and eating well. She turns her family into guinea pigs whenever she gets a chance. A classical soprano with an MFA in Theatre Education/Outreach and Dramatic writing, she started her blog because having a family gave her a point of view as a cook, and being a mother (to boys, ages 2&5, one with sensory-motor problems) made her even more eager to learn about food systems and how the stuff we eat affects little people’s bodies and brains. You can also follow Bri on Facebook and Twitter.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for the Lunch Tray shout-out and I’m SO glad you’re featuring Bri here today! She’s one of my favorite food bloggers, too, and she’s shared with me (and my readers) so many great lunch box packing ideas.
You’re so welcome! Writers like you and Bri just make my day Bettina. It’s a lot easier to share your wonderful words of wisdom than have to come up with them myself.
Aw, I have goosebumps! Thanks for the links and the amazing write-up, Kelly (and for the extra love, Bettina!). It’s a great day to be a blogger.
Bri is the cool author of..The October Meal Plan, and When Things Fall Apart
Well now we’re even. Your posts pretty much gave me goosebumps when I first read them. You had put into words “my” philosophies way better than I could have ever done. Of course I just had to share! How much do I love great bloggers?? Thank YOU Bri
Your picture is a reminder that we have choices when we purchase the foods to go into the lunch box that can add interest. For example, peppers and tomatoes come in a variety of colors. Do you always have to pack green peppers and red tomatoes? Sometimes our choices in the raw ingredients can make a boring lunch into an interesting lunch.
Roger @ lunch box ideas is the cool author of..Lunch Box Meal Ideas That Tick
Indeed Roger! One of my fans recently posted a photo with carrots that were all different colors. Not just orange. Until then, I didn’t even know that carrots come in other colors! Fun