This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Boar’s Head. All opinions are 100% mine.

Check out the benefits of letting your kids make their own lunch, plus snag my Picky Eater lunch wrap recipe made with Boar's Head Deli Meats & Cheeses! YUM!

When I was in middle and high school, I made my own lunches out of necessity. My mom was a single mother who needed the extra time to get ready for work, and I was an enormously picky eater who needed complete control over what went into my lunch.

Fast-forward 30 years, now I have a middle-schooler who is every bit as picky an eater as I ever was! Yet, here I am, still making all of his lunches for him…and finding out later that he didn’t even eat half of it! Lately, I’ve been showing him how to prepare his own food. I’m still not ready to let him cook on the stove, but he can definitely put together things that don’t require electricity! I mean, if the kid can troubleshoot problems with our Wi-Fi, he can make himself a sandwich!

One thing I’ve noticed since he started making his own breakfast and lunch: he eats a lot better. I’ve also noticed some other benefits, which we’ll talk about below. Don’t miss my easy Picky Eater’s recipe! It’s made with Boar’s Head Meats and Cheeses, so you know it’s going to taste great!

Benefits of Letting Kids Make Their Own Lunches

1. Gives them a sense of control

From toddlers to teens, all kids crave a stronger sense of control over their lives. Think about it: parents make nearly every decision for their children, from what they can wear to when they’re allowed to watch TV. We do it because we want to make sure our kids are safe and healthy, but it’s still hard on them. Check out the benefits of letting your kids make their own lunch, plus snag my Picky Eater lunch wrap recipe made with Boar's Head Deli Meats & Cheeses! YUM!

Letting your kids make their own lunches tells them that you trust them enough to decide what to eat. Of course, you’ll still be able to offer guidance! Keeping your fridge stocked with high-quality deli meats and cheeses from Boar’s Head is a good place to start. You can also set ground rules. For example, they can have one cookie for dessert, not five for their actual lunch!

2. They’ll actually eat the lunch, instead of tossing or trading it!

I don’t even want to think about how much money went into the school cafeteria’s garbage can because I gave my son things he didn’t want. Even if I gave him something he liked, some days he just wasn’t in the mood for it.  We all have different food moods, and while you think that turkey and Swiss sandwich you made is the perfect lunch, your kid may be in the mood for ham and cheddar instead. By letting them make their own lunches, they can create the perfect meal based on their mood that day.

3. Boosts their self-confidence

I have a confession: while I’ve never been a helicopter parent, I’ve always been an “I’ll do it for you” type of mom. Even when it comes to simple things, like getting a glass of milk, I always did everything for my son. I did it out of love, but at some point, I realized that it was actually more damaging than helpful. My son didn’t get to experience the simple joys and confidence boost of doing something on his own. I was taking that away from him without even knowing it.

When my son started making his own simple meals, I noticed that he had more confidence in his abilities to do other things. It sounds funny, that making a sandwich could have such an impact, but it really does!

4. Teaches them valuable life skills

Knowing how to put together a few healthy meals, even if they are just sandwiches, is an incredibly important life skill. We all need to eat, right? While my son will eventually learn more in-depth recipes, for now I want to know that he can feed himself if I’m ever unable to do so. He’s old enough to stay home alone now, and if I need to go out for the day, I’d like to know that he isn’t sitting at home eating cookies and cakes all day long!

5. Makes mornings easier for all of you!

Let’s be honest here: the biggest benefit to letting your kids make their own lunches is the amount of time it will save YOU! While you should still supervise, it’s easier to multitask and get everyone out the door when you’re not trying to make multiple lunches to appease multiple tastes. Even if you have an only child like I do, not having to go back and forth over whether he wants bologna or ham, cheddar or Swiss, bread or crackers saves you a lot more time than you might think it would!

Now that we know the reasons why we should be letting our kids make their own lunches, check out one of Jake’s favorite meals to put together! It’s absolutely perfect for picky eaters!

Easy Picky Eater Wrap Recipe

Check out the benefits of letting your kids make their own lunch, plus snag my Picky Eater lunch wrap recipe made with Boar's Head Deli Meats & Cheeses! YUM!

I’m calling this the picky eater wrap because it’s simple and relatively plain, making it perfect for kids who really don’t like a lot of condiments or veggies on their sandwich. While Jake loves certain veggies on their own, he won’t even so much as look at a sandwich with a pickle or lettuce on it!

Ingredients: (Makes one wrap)

  • 1 slice Boar’s Head Bologna
  • 1  slice Boar’s Head Salami
  • 1  slice Boar’s Head American Cheese
  • Small flour tortilla wraps
  • Optional: cucumbers, carrots, Ranch dressing
  • Optional: fruit for dessert

How to make it: It doesn’t really get any easier than this!

  1. Just layer your Boar’s Head Deli Meats and cheese in the middle of the wrap, then roll it up! Cut it in half and secure shut with a cute toothpick.
  2. For sides, add some sliced cucumbers (ours are fresh from our garden!), carrots, and ranch dressing. The dressing is also perfect for dipping the wrap into.
  3. We also added some watermelon for dessert.

Don’t let the “plain-ness” of the wrap fool you! It’s made with Boar’s Head Meats and Cheese, so even without condiments it’s full of delicious flavor! 5 Reasons to Let Kids Make Their Own School Lunch + "The Picky Eater" Wrap Recipe

Why Boar’s Head?

Why do we use Boar’s Head in our easy back to school lunch recipes? Aside from the incredible taste, every Boar’s Head product is made with only the finest ingredients. The company has a long history of creating high-quality products, dating all the way back to 1905! It’s definitely a brand that we parents can really trust.

5 Reasons to Let Kids Make Their Own School Lunch + "The Picky Eater" Wrap Recipe

Boar’s Head has all the products that my picky eater actually likes. He loves their Pork & Beef Bologna and their Genoa Salami. For parents of children with celiac disease, you’ll be happy to know that every Boar’s Head Meat, Cheese, Condiment and Spread is gluten-free. I also love that all of their products are free of trans fats from hydrogenated oils. Learn more about the Nutritional Benefits of each product here!

Boar’s Head makes letting your kids create their own school lunches easier by offering nourishing products that make easy recipes. Check out Back to School with Boar’s Head to find some fabulously unique and delicious lunch recipes!

If you need help finding the product near you, call Boar’s Head customer service at 1-800-352-6277. I buy mine from a specialty deli down the street. I love them because they still wrap the meat and cheese in butcher paper!

What are your favorite Boar’s Head products? What recipes do your kids love to make for their own lunches?

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