Cures for Lunch Box Burnout
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If you are the mother of a school-aged child, you have experienced the phenomenon of Lunch Box Burnout.
It’s what happens when you make your 469th peanut-butter-and-jelly-on-white-bread-sandwich.

To combat this widespread ailment, Lexington Family Magazine has gathered together a list of cures for the boring lunch box.
Spice up your child’s lunch with healthy ideas they will actually eat.

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Switch Up the Bread

Instead of using plain white bread, start varying the outside of the sandwich.
Substitute English muffins, pita bread, tortillas or sandwich wraps for plain old white bread.

You can even try something as creative as slices of banana bread for a PBJ sandwich or a bagel for a lunch meat sandwich.

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Keep It Hot

Invest in a small thermos just big enough to fit a serving of soup or chili.
That makes it easy to pack leftovers from dinner the night before.

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Sneak in the Veggies

Many kids will tell you they don’t like green vegetables, but a really sneaky mom can slip them into lunch boxes without detection.

Use fresh baby spinach in place of lettuce on sandwiches, then toss in a handful of shredded carrots.

Chop up green beans and stir them into salsa. Include a small cup of low-fat ranch dressing with a variety of colorful raw veggies good for dipping.

Instead of only carrots, try matchstick-size pieces of zucchini or yellow squash, tiny “trees” of broccoli or cauliflower, or a handful of raw sugar snap peas.

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For more fun and easy back-to-school recipes, visit these Web sites:

• www.allrecipes.com
• www.lunchinabox.com
• www.mealsforyou.com
• www.cookingformonkeys.com
• www.rachaelray.com
• familyfun.go.com
• www.razzledazzlerecipes.com
• www.ilunchbox.com
• www.mommypoppins.com/ny-kids/lunch-box-ideas