Lunch struggles

[Green_Tea]

All three teens in my house are responsible for their own lunches. I don’t police their food. Unless there is a serious health or weight issue at play, you can take this off your plate.

[Dayzy]

I would put this on your DS and have him prepare his own lunch. Last night my 12 year old DS grilled chicken that he marinated because he wanted sandwiches for lunch this week. I don't mind putting together a sunbutter sandwich, but for very involved things, kids have to help out.

[cvanbrunt]

My 12 and 14 year old pack their own lunch. There's plenty of food in the house and most days I've got no idea what they packed. Make this his responsibility and don't worry about making sure he loves all his options all the time. He'll live.

[carolinamama]

I'm on team "Let him pack his own lunch". DD1 is 11 and has been packing her own for two years. Now DD1 makes the sandwiches for herself & DD2 & DD2 gets the "other stuff" together. Works great and they can't blame me if they don't like it!

Same here. In our house, going to middle school (6th grade) means packing your own lunch. I look in DS1's lunch occasionally. It's comical since he usually packs whatever is most convenient - yogurt, piece of fruit, crackers etc. Sometimes he makes a sandwich, sometimes he just grabs some salami and puts is in a bag. And one time he had a whole sleeve of Ritz crackers. Nothing else but a sleeve of crackers. But the way I see it, we are going for independence here and he can't be upset when he doesn't like his lunch.

[dhano923]

My kids are both responsible for packing their own lunches. DS has been doing it since he was 12 and DD started when she was about 10 because she likes to come up with her own creations.

There’s no reason your son can’t pack his own lunches — he’s old enough to take on that responsibility, especially if he’s not happy with what you pack for him. If he wants to take mac and cheese everyday, let him. He’ll get tired of it soon enough.

[AngB]

My 7 yo and 8yo eat spaghetti o's in their thermoses *every* single school day. Plus a yogurt. And that's it. (They don't have time to eat anything more.) I've tried offering them other options but nope. Even at their ages, whatever.

I definitely don't plan to be policing their lunches in high school but if they wanted mac n cheese every day, whatever. I remember when I was in high school I would eat Bosco sticks nearly every day. (Cheese stuffed breadsticks.)

[legaleagle]

We're not great about getting them to do lots of chores but my kids start packing in 2nd/3rd grade. They can ask for help of course for warming up stuff for thermoses but they have to do it (and if they don't they get hot lunch whether they want it or not).

[twowhat?]

I'm bumping because I was in SF last week and stopped at a place that I can best describe as a "Vietnamese Chipotle" - you could basically get rice paper rolls vs bowls and can choose the fillings. I watched them make the rice paper rolls and it looks totally doable to teach a tween/teen how to make these (maybe a little more work on my part to have everything cut up and ready to fill) and the fillings are adaptable but I think my kids would do lettuce, carrots, bean sprouts, cucumber, cilantro, rice noodle, and a protein like shrimp or chicken. Plus the sauce which if you're at a peanut-free school, I bet you could make with Sunbutter. I'm totally teaching them this summer and they can add that to their list of lunches. I've been packing their lunches but agree with PPs that in middle school they will start packing their own and I will only be responsible for making sure there's stuff available in the house to pack.