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<\/a> <\/p>\nEngage with our community-funded journalism <\/a>as we delve into child care, transitional kindergarten, health and other issues affecting children from birth through age 5.<\/p>\n For parents of children 5 and under, navigating school lunch can be challenging. Colorful videos fill TikTok and Instagram showing off creatively shaped sandwiches and neatly cut vegetables laid in bento box-like containers. Lunch box styles can make a difference, influencers advise, as they share school-friendly recipes.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy for parents to worry that they got it wrong when a child returns home with uneaten food, said Anet Piridzhanyan, a clinical dietitian at Children\u2019s Hospital Los Angeles<\/a>. But there are a few basic steps to make school lunches a success.<\/p>\n Zeitlin and son Will in West Hills, CA on Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025.<\/p>\n (Myung J. Chun\/Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n What should parents put in their toddler\u2019s lunch box?<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to remember that the start of the school year is exciting, but can also be overwhelming for a young child, said Lori Russell, a registered dietitian and nutritionist at the Mayo Clinic<\/a>. It may not be that they don\u2019t like their food \u2014 they may simply be distracted. Either way, lean into familiarity to encourage them. And don\u2019t offer too many options.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have this tendency to overdo it,\u201d Russell said. \u201cIf parents want to fill that lunch box with everything that that kid might possibly consume that you have in the house, that\u2019s stressful.\u201d<\/p>\n Kids should have one main item in their lunch box and two or three snacks, which could include carrot sticks or an apple and perhaps a small treat such as a piece of chocolate, she said. Piridzhanyan agreed, recommending that parents rotate through the five food groups throughout the week, packing different fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins and dairy.<\/p>\n Consistency is key. If a parent plans to offer something new in their child\u2019s lunch box, they should pair it with a food item they know their child likes, she added.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery day is a new day,\u201d Piridzhanyan said. \u201cThey\u2019ve only been around for two to five years, so it\u2019s not like us where, when we see food, we\u2019re like, \u2018Oh yeah, I know what that is.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s something that Gabriella May has learned as her daughter has grown. May, of Fresno, has been making videos of her daughter\u2019s school lunches<\/a> for TikTok since she started kindergarten. She\u2019s now in fifth grade. Her daughter has always been a picky eater, so introducing new foods at school without the pressure of having mom and dad nearby was helpful \u2014 and still is, she said.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the best lunch box for toddlers?<\/p>\n It\u2019s important for parents to make sure that the food they pack is accessible and that they have the utensils and napkins that they need, the dietitians said. Parents should practice opening containers with their child and make sure the lunch box isn\u2019t too heavy. <\/p>\n \u201cWe tend to focus on what\u2019s in it and what\u2019s being consumed, and not the actual container,\u201d Russell said. \u201cAnd does the child like it? Are they enjoying opening it? Carrying it? All that really makes a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s where, for many parents, bento box-style lunch boxes come in. The compartmentalized containers have been popularized on social media. <\/p>\n For Zeitlin, the PlanetBox lunch box<\/a> has been a great go-to. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just kind of convenient,\u201d Zeitlin said. \u201cEverything\u2019s in one place.\u201d<\/p>\n Russell, who has a 4-year-old, said that when a child likes their lunch box or container it can encourage them to eat. That\u2019s why options with beloved characters can be a good choice.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not just about the food, it\u2019s about the favorite cup, the plate,\u201d Russell said. <\/p>\n How to get your kid to eat lunch at preschool<\/p>\n Parents should ask their children why they did or didn\u2019t eat their lunch, Russell said. Sometimes the bread might have been too soggy, the apple slices may have browned or the texture of the macaroni and cheese may have changed after spending all day in a lunch box. If the answer isn\u2019t satisfying, ask the teacher what they have observed, she said.<\/p>\n It helps to know how the teacher or child-care provider stores the food, Piridzhanyan added. Sometimes kids will have access to a refrigerator, other times the food may be left out in the sun, so it helps to be able to plan accordingly by adding an ice pack or a thermos to help keep food safe and appetizing, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of times the lunch box bags are left out in the classroom, so that part\u2019s really important,\u201d Piridzhanyan said.<\/p>\n Presentation does matter to a degree, but there\u2019s no need to go overboard. If parents want to do something special, Russell recommends quickly using a cookie cutter on a sandwich or adding a sticker alongside the snacks.<\/p>\n Zeitlin can\u2019t wait until her 5-year-old son learns to read. Then, she\u2019ll start leaving notes in his lunch box expressing encouragement and telling jokes. She\u2019s held on to a book of dad jokes for 20 years just for the occasion.<\/p>\n Sequeira reports for The Times\u2019 early childhood education initiative, focusing on the learning and development of California children from birth to age 5. For more information about the initiative and its philanthropic funders, go to latimes.com\/earlyed<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n