For variety, make sandwiches using hamburger buns, hot dog buns or whole wheat bread.

Include one chocolate “kiss”.  Adds a little sweetness and lots of love.

Make jello with lots of fresh fruits (add when jello is partially set.) Sen to school in thermos.

Add fun stickers or holiday stickers to sandwich bags.

Warm soup in the morning and send in a thermos.  Add a spoon.

leftovers make great lunches- meatloaf, pizza, macaroni.

Put a silly straw in for fun.

Try peanut butter and jelly on pita.  Another favorite: PBJ on round crackers instead of sandwich.

Warm up a hot dog and place in thermos.

Try nacho chips and dip.

A bagel with tuna, PBJ or toasted with butter.

Add “peanut mix delight”- unsalted peanuts, raisins and a few mini-chocolate chips mixed together.

Cut sandwiches in different shapes- stripes, triangles.  Use cookie cutters.  A favorite- a slice like a puzzle.  Kids like to play with their food!

Children enjoy trading, so add an extra brownie for bargaining or send in an extra dessert for a special friend.

Add a trivia question, thought for the day, quotable quote, cartoon, or love note on a napkin.

Remind kids if they don’t eat it to bring it home.  This not only saves waste, it also lets you know how much they ate.

Thanks to ALizon Seymour, Helen Toussaint, Marilyn Mullan and Gail Signor for their ideas.

Taken from Encouragement a publication by Angela DiCicco and Gail Signor.