Hi Reader,
A parent recently shared she was only a few days in to the school year and already lacked lunch and snack ideas for their school-aged child.
Her story reminded me of my burnout with school lunches.
In today's newsletter, I want to share my experience with feeling burnout with packing school lunches and tips on what you can do to prevent burnout for this school year (and beyond).
- Karla
The Story
One Friday morning, I was feeling extremely burned out from packing school lunches for Camila.
We were only 3 months into her kindergarten year and I was already experiencing burnout.
I don’t think the issue was with lack of meal ideas but rather with my approach to packing school lunches.
It became very tiring, especially with Camila’s food preferences at the time. Her preferences were heavily influenced by what she saw peers eat at school and what others brought from home, making these requests challenging for me to honor.
For days, I remember dreading the time between breakfast and the moment I had to prepare her school lunch.
After some time, I realized I needed to change how I was planning and packing school lunches.
I was mentally planning school lunch the morning of, even as soon as I woke up. This alone consumed a lot of my mental energy and added stress to our already hectic morning routine trying to get Camila to school on time.
I decided to change my approach.
Rather than thinking about what to pack for school lunch in the morning, I decided to write it down the night before. This helped reduce my mental load in the morning, allowing me to focus on tasks that needed me most, like helping everyone stay focused in trying to get out the door.
Your School Lunch Packing Guide
As vegan parents and caregivers, we often carry a significant mental load—from worrying if you’re meeting their nutrient needs, to the judgment of others in your choice for raising a vegan family, to packing school lunches.
- Write it down. If you can, write the meal in advance, whether the night before or the Sunday before the week. When you write it down, it's out of your head which frees up mental space (and energy) for other things. You can write it on a post-it, on a note in your phone, or any scratch piece of paper.
- Use leftovers. If you have any leftovers from your meals, try to see if you can use those. This will help reduce food waste, save time in preparing something new, and relieve some mental energy in thinking about what to pack. If I have leftovers from last night’s dinner and it’s something that is appropriate to send, I typically opt to send some leftovers.
- Keep it simple. It’s OK if you sometimes send a sunbutter sandwich, fruit, and some pretzels. This is still meeting nutritional needs. Keeping school lunches simple can benefit both your mental health, time availability, and your child’s intake. It’s also okay to repeat a vegan school lunch throughout the week! School lunches don't always have to be something different.
- Consider your child’s food preferences. Whether you have a picky eater or not, consider your child’s food preferences. If your child is still learning to feel comfortable around a food or learning to like a food, it's best to offer it at home first before sending it in their lunch box. Oftentimes I focus on things that Camila really enjoys so that she can feel comfortable, safe, and enjoy her meal around her peers.
- Involve your child with lunch planning/packing. If your child is of age and has an interest, consider inviting them to planning and/or packing their own school lunch. This will give them more autonomy which makes them more excited to eat the food—and takes a bit of the load from you.
- Consider food safety. Ensure proper storage of your child’s school lunch to keep foods safe and prevent food spoilage. Consider sending an ice pack or a thermos depending on the food being sent.
Interested in vegan school lunch ideas?
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VKN News and Featured Media
- Join me at the Twin Cities Veg Fest on September 22nd. I'm speaking at the Twin Cities Veg Fest debunking 3 common myths about plant-based diets for growing kids. I'll also be volunteering at the 'Ask the Dietitian' booth answering your most pressing questions about plant-based nutrition. If you're in the area, I'd love to see you there! Click here for more details.
- I was featured in Parents. Recently I was interviewed by Parents, one of the largest family and parenting brands, on healthy dinner ideas for families. This article isn't exclusive to vegan parents but you'll find helpful tips on how to make healthy dinners and several plant-based meal ideas! Check out the article here.
- Looking for nutrition & feeding support? I’d love to support you in your vegan feeding journey—whether you’re just starting solids, have a picky eater, unsure if you’re meeting your teen’s nutrient requirements, or need guidance on meal planning. Schedule a call with me here.
Here’s what a recent client had to say about our work together:
“Prior to working together, I felt overwhelmed. I was not sure how to start vegan baby led weaning and what supplements were necessary. Karla answered all our questions and empowered us to start baby led weaning immediately! We felt ready and equipped to begin our baby’s journey with solid foods. Karla was knowledgeable, experienced, helpful, kind, and provided clear guidance.” - Jessica F., vegan parent to 7 month old baby