I noticed something last week that really took me by surprise.

Packing nutritious lunches daily have been a challenge for us over the years. My daughter has become a true snack food junkie.

She likes stuff out of boxes better than anything else.

So I was taken totally by surprise last week as day by day she was taking less junk in her lunch and finally didn't want any at all.

This has been an ongoing battle for me so I am very pleased.

THE TRICK?

There wasn't really a trick but there was a method to tipping the scales towards nutrition.

• First, I had a good supply of fruit that she liked in the house.

• Second, I had small containers that she could put it in to take in her lunch (I line them with a paper towel to keep the fruit from getting waterlogged in her lunch)

• Third, I helped her pack her lunch in the mornings (some of this can be done ahead as well), sending the fruits – strawberries, raspberries, peaches and grapes over the week (no veggies yet, I'm working on it) and a sandwich on bread that she requested (Smart Bread, great marketing there! But it does have omega oils which are a great thing to have) She can't take peanut butter so pretty much all she will take is sandwich meat. I try to get deli meat (roast beef etc) because I think it's healthier than the packaged meats.

A note on cost: Yup, good food cost a lot these days, but I look at it this way. I'd rather spend more for something that really does something for my child's health than less for something that takes away from it. In my view, I am getting far more value for my money in buying fresh fruits and veggies, even the expensive ones. Be sure to think about this before you say no when your child asks you for some outrageously priced raspberries next time. If you can possibly afford it, I say go for it. Even if it means cutting out something else. Chances are that it can be something like pop and chips etc.

• Fourth, make a rule. The rule is that she can eat her snacks, but she has to eat her sandwich and fruit first. (I put 2-3 fruit servings in eg. one day she had a container of strawberries/raspberries mixed and a peach – be sure to keep in mind the size of your child and her appetite. My daugher is 10 going on 11 and can really pack it in!)

• Fifth, make another rule. That rule is that lunch pails and containers need to be unpacked every day after school. This avoids moldy containers and searching for them in the am. I generally have 2 sets of containers in case of emergency.

So in the end, this is what happened. I nearly fell off my chair when she said, I don't need any snacks in my lunch because I never eat them anyway by the time I'm finished my sandwich and fruit.

Eureka!

One more quick tip – fruit dips can help to make a more nutritious fruit choice more attractive. Yes, they are sugar and maybe other stuff too. But if it helps at least in the beginning to develop the habit of fruit instead of junk, I think it's a fair trade.

In time, it may be possible to decrease the dip, or maybe find some healthy fruit dips.

Right now I tried caramel dip, seems pretty good and my daughter just ate an apple for a snack.

So if you are at your wits end in trying to get your kids to eat less junk, why not give my 5 step plan a try and see how it goes.

What are your tips? I would love to hear them.

If you're finding it a challenge to keep your kids eating healthy food instead of fast and easy junk and need more help to provide REAL FOOD for your family (all the time, not only on special occasions) sign up for our free Meal Time on Time ecourse to get a full week of tips and tricks to make meal planning easier and even fun.