School lunch with surprise inside

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Making School Lunch Fun - Add Incentives
Picky kids sometimes need incentives to finish their lunch when they're on their own at school. Make lunch as fun as recess with these easy ideas for adding humor, flavor and a little love to their lunch box every day.

While eating their breakfast, most kids love to do the puzzles, activities and games printed on the cereal box. Recreate this built-in fun by drawing a maze, game or puzzle on your child's lunch bag. Slip a code inside the bag, which your little one can use to decipher a unique, personal message written on the outside.
Cookie cutters

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Making School Lunch Fun - Use Cookie Cutters
Nothing says same-old, same-old like a boring PB and J sandwich. But break out a few cookie cutters, and peanut butter and jelly is suddenly exciting. Cut sandwiches into any shape (numbers are particularly fun, and hearts are sweet), revamping this usual brown bag suspect.
Mother sending children off with lunch surprise

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Making School Lunch Fun - Include a Fun Surprise
It's no secret that the toy hidden at the bottom of the box is the main reason children love fast-food kid's meals. This magic can easily be recreated in school lunches. Use bento-style lunch boxes that have multiple compartments for a creative Japanese-inspired meal. (If you use prepackaged lunches, peel back the plastic, then seal it back up with tape.) Then send your child off for the day, totally unaware of the fun surprise that awaits them at noon.
Parent cutting vegetables while the child watches

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Making School Lunch Fun - Creative Fruits and Veggies
If your child returns their lunch pail to you with untouched fruit and vegetables inside, get creative. Cut veggies into shapes, freeze bananas and grapes, and make kebabs out of thin slices of cucumber. Food dye can also be used to inject a little fun into colorless foods like pasta and rice.
Classmates anticipating what is inside their lunch bag

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Making School Lunch Fun - Hint at a Treat
Give your child something to look forward to after a long, hard day at school. Include a picture or card that hints at a treat awaiting them at home. The anticipation should stave off the drowsiness that can set in shortly after eating lunch.

For years, you've taught your child to share. Here's an opportunity to let them do it while you're not looking over their shoulder. Create a quick little tag or note attached to cookie boxes made with card stock and tape. Then just make sure the cookies are delicious so they don't lose any friends! We suggest this recipe.

For more recipes, cooking and healthy eating advice, visit AOL's KitchenDaily.