I ran across an “article” titled 15 Items You Should Never Pack in Your Child’s Lunch. 

Don’t read the article, you’ll feel like a failure as a mother, and then start seriously considering punching someone.

Among the “no no” items were peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, granola bars, fruit snacks, juice boxes, yogurt, white bread, and deli meat sandwiches. 

The author points out that these items have terrible additives and are full of unnecessary sugars. They suggest replacing these items with whole grain and homemade alternatives.

Am I the only one that wants to punch the author?

Maybe I’m the only one that doesn’t always enjoy making lunches.

Or maybe I’m the only one that grew up with a mom that encouraged/forced us to make our own lunches starting around 2nd grade.

No joke, my brother and I took kudos bars and cold hot dogs for lunch in elementary school. Were there “healthy options” available, heck yes! Did we want them… not so much. Did my mom say anything? Probably not, she was just happy we were showing independence and eating something.

Maybe I’m the only one that dreads feeding my kids… I really dread this part of the day. The whining makes me lose the will to live.

I am well aware that my kids’ lunches could be more nutritious, but I am also aware that they need to be sent with items that they will eat and that they can eat somewhat independently.

I need to send them with enough to get through the day, we can worry about whole grains and homemade items when they’re home.

I sent the following (toxic) lunches to school on Thursday:

HP: Ham and cheese sandwich (on white bread), pirate’s booty puffs, grapes/strawberries/watermelon, fruit snacks, and a juice box.

AM: Ham and cheese sandwich (on white bread), pretzels, grapes/strawberries/watermelon, drinkable yogurt, fruit snacks, juice box

P: Peanut butter and jelly sandwich (on white bread), pirates booty, grapes/strawberries/watermelon, fruit snacks, juice box.

Could these lunches be healthier… obviously.

Are they the worst?

Probably not.

Does the lunch meat have additives, I’m sure it does. Is the bread easy to digest and less nutritious than the whole grain variety- probably, but honestly they’re not going to eat the other one so it’s not comparable. Are fruit snacks basically just candy? Yep, yep they are. Are the juice boxes killing them, I’d venture to say no, the ones they like have no added sugar so they taste like very diluted juice… they’re gross.

I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that this type of article does little to change behavior and a whole lot to encourage mom guilt and frustration.

Could things be better, yes.

Am I doing my best (most days), yes.

Does feeling bad make me a better mom, nope.

So I’ll keep sending the toxic lunches, and they’ll keep eating “trash food” and the world will keep spinning and everything will be fine.