| Kids lunch times at school are short and they | | | | bread |
| spend half of the time talking and fooling | | | | |
| around, so what do parents do to make sure | | | | peanut butter |
| they eat? The answer is make it fun and | | | | |
| interesting!! First of all, kids like | | | | raisins |
| packaging...so, the better (and cooler) you | | | | |
| make something look, the more apt the are to | | | | favorite jelly or jamMake a peanut butter |
| eat it. You don't need to make it extra | | | | and jelly sandwich. Cut into four triangles |
| special every day, but maybe you can use some | | | | and arrange in butterfly shape. Use raisins |
| of these ideas once or twice a week. *Write a | | | | to create an antennae. Easy and fun!Daisy |
| note, or make a heart on your child's | | | | AppleNeed: |
| sandwich with food coloring *Wrap sandwiches | | | | |
| in colored cellophane wrap Cut sandwiches | | | | 2 Tbs. raisins |
| into fun shapes or letters *Wrap ribbon | | | | |
| around carrot sticks or celery sticks and | | | | 2 Tbs. crunchy or creamy peanut butter |
| place in a plastic baggie *Put a note in | | | | |
| that says "I love you" or "I am thinking | | | | 1 Mcintosh apple |
| about you" *Put a little prize in once in a | | | | |
| while like a sticker or a pin or a plastic | | | | Peanuts for garnish (omit if making for |
| ring *Use banana bread to make a PB&J | | | | small child)Set aside a few raisins for face. |
| sandwich *Always put a napkin in, and | | | | Stir remaining raisins into peanut butter. |
| sometimes draw a little smiley face or write | | | | With apple corer or paring knife, remove core |
| a note on it *Include a fun straw *Put in a | | | | and seeds from apple. Using a small knife or |
| new fun pencil *Put a lipstick kiss on their | | | | spoon, push peanut butter mixture into center |
| napkin *Put a in Hershey's Kiss with a note | | | | of apple. Make a happy face on top of peanut |
| attached "Here's a Kiss for you" *Put a in | | | | butter using reserved raisins. Optional: |
| Hershey's Hug with a note attached "Here's a | | | | Arrange peanut halves around edge of peanut |
| Hug for you" *Put soup in a thermos and be | | | | butter forming a circle. |
| sure to include a colored plastic spoon | | | | |
| *Give them chocolate milk in their thermos | | | | Chill before serving.Surprise BananaNeed: |
| instead of regular *Put a flower in *Make a | | | | |
| fruit kabob *Remove crust and cut sandwiches | | | | BananaEvery once in a while I write with the |
| into triangles *Include homemade cookies | | | | tip of a knife(adults only) a note to my |
| *Give a special piece of candy once in a | | | | girls on the banana that is in their lunch. |
| while *Put in fresh fruit or vegetables cut | | | | It doesn't show up right away but by the time |
| up *Tie ribbon around utensils *Cut | | | | they eat it at recess or lunch my "I love |
| sandwiches into strips *Roll up lunch meat | | | | you" or "knock knock" joke is very dark. They |
| and cheese and secure with a fun toothpickNow | | | | love it!Pam Lester is a former art teacher |
| - Here are some other ideas and recipes that | | | | and mother of 2. She is the owner and creator |
| will be sure to make your child's lunches | | | | of and The sites offer free kids crafts, |
| memorable and fun. Go to for a complete | | | | recipes, games and activities for parents, |
| list!Butterfly SandwichNeed: | | | | teachers and caregivers. Please visit |
| | | | TheIdeaBox for more great ideas! |