Why'd the lunchbox come home full?

Does you child's lunchbox come home uneaten? You are not alone! Even the most enthusiastic, adventurous eaters sometimes don't eat lunch at school. I know I feel super frustrated when I've taken the time and resources to pack a lunch that doesn't get touched.

What's your usual follow-up when you see a full lunchbox? Temptation might be to say something accusatory like "why didn't you eat lunch today?" I often have to catch myself and rephrase my question into an open ended, non-leading question, such as "tell me about your lunch break at school today." For my younger child I may say, "tell me 3 things that happened during lunchtime."

There's so many reasons lunch may go untouched or barely picked at. Recently, I packed my 7yo daughter a thermos that must have vacuum sealed shut so tight that no one could open it! Or, she may report to me that what I packed her wasn't her favorite. My 5yo busy body son is sometimes so easily distracted by things going on around him that he doesn't eat much, but he will often ask me for his lunch leftovers after school.

I've had pre-teen and teen clients with anxiety interrupting both appetite and GI wellbeing. Others may feel embarrassed by what was packed because it's different from the other kids' lunches. If your child is a chronic lunch skipper, it may be helpful to brainstorm a solution together. Using a list of options, you can have your child pick 3 preferred protein-rich foods (such as nut or seed butter, deli meat, or edamame), 3 carb-rich foods (such as bread, tortilla, or crackers), 3 fruits (such as apple slices, strawberries, tangerines), 3 veggies (cucumbers, baby tomatoes, carrots) and snacks (granola bar, trail mix or a cheese stick). Maybe your little one will even want to participate in packing the lunch!

Here's what I've determined from conversations with my own kiddos about lunch:

7yo: used to eat anything cold, but now prefers hot food in a thermos (pasta, tortellini, soup)

5yo: doesn't want to see dinner from tonight in his lunch the next day so I'll give a 1 day gap for leftovers

What have you or can you find out about your child's lunchtime?