It was November when River started to peel away from her love of apricot and almond butter sandwiches on whole wheat. Oak, still ate them with gusto, but rather I not refrigerate anything. Cold food has always been his nemesis, and so, I took pride in his love for sandwhiches. My rules for packed school lunch were as follows; a fruit (two for Oak), a dry snack, a hearty focus of something or another (like fishsticks, leftover rice and beans or a sandwich), and a treat. Unlike other years, I never really got into the groove of packing their lunches at night. And posibly, knowing how very near we are to September’s funky start and in the middle of what is our family’s middle-of-the-school year stride, likely makes me the sadest.
I realized on Friday, that the thing about the kids and school and my involvement in it, was that I loved it. Taking them, being a class parent every year, the field trips, the helping, the morning coffee after drop-off with friends, and of course, packing their lunches. In many ways, a lot of my own involvement, for better or worse, was because of my need for it too.
From the beginning, lunches were the first sign of this. I adored practicing that care for River in her daycare days without my prescence. And when I had Oak and they both attended Public School, I still kept at it most days of the week. Part nutrition. Part care, most of the week. Even with the school’s free lunch offer. That was the recipe.
These days, there’s an influx of folks, asking us to whip up a different kind of recipe with our kids. What about our lunches?
Thankfully, I can still practice that care. Equally so, I think for me and for the kids, it’s practicing predictability. No back and forth trips to the kitchen for God knows what. There’s the emotionality too. A piece of normal in what feels increasingly not, stacked two tiers high on the counter day in and day out.
Lunch box tools:
A lunchbox we love that’s super practical
A lunchbox that supports other children in need
When it comes to families and the issue of food these days, here’s how you can help:
- Donate to The Food Bank For New York City. They are providing three free meals daily from 7:30 AM- 1:30 PM to those who need it in New York City.
- Donate to Citymeals On Wheels, that feeds home-bound elderly with food deliveries daily.
- Donate to Feeding America, a national food- and fund-raising effort to support people facing hunger and the food banks who help them.
Would love to know if you’ve given this a try.
(Top photo c/o Planet Box. This post includes affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase, I may earn a small commision. With that said, I only link things I love or truly would wear or use. This blog is a small business, and as such, your support is greatly appreciated during this time.)
