Lunch Notes

Lunches are kind of sad at our house right now. With one little one gone at lunch time, her empty chair screams out how much we miss her noise and laughter during the day. I can only offer a little prayer that she is enjoying good company, a peaceful and good lunch. One of the things that I like to do and it really doesn't take much time in the mornings, once I do a little labor of love beforehand, is to send simple notes to my schoolgirl in her lunch.
These notes can be as simple as cut out hearts, with "Mommy loves you!" written on it. A slip of paper with her favorite princess stickers and "You are my princess-Shine at school today!" is very easy. If you have a good reader, write out a joke on a card like "What do you call a stinky fairy? --Stinkerbelle" Hallmark also has some cute and sweet cards for $0.99, if you are short on creativity, time or need something extra special. I store my lunch notes in a basket on the counter where I assemble lunch. If you have a lunch bin, slip them in the bin with the other lunch making supplies. There are several products you can purchase with preprinted notes and other cute wrappings to send in the lunches such as these with some educational games printed on them at http://www.penpalnotes.com/
Other kids and family websites have free printables that you can download and print out to put in the lunch boxes. Lots of them have the kids' favorite characters like Dora, Diego, Backyardigans on them.Check out:
http://www.nickjr.com/printables/dora-lunchbox-love-notes.jhtml
http://www.nickjr.com/printables/oswald-lunchbox-note.jhtml
http://printables.familyeducation.com/

Also, consider when making the sandwiches, cutting them in the same fashion you do when they are at home eating lunch.Better yet, if you have cookie cutters, cut out the sandwich with the cutters. A heart shaped is great all the time to just say, "I love you!" But use leaf shaped ones in the fall, pumpkins in October, and snowmen in January. All of the holiday cutters make the sandwiches more fun and just lets the child know that you care and think about them at lunch when they are away.
If you find the decorative spray paint at craft stores, stock up on their favorite color and some of the holiday colors. It is an easy way to dress up a sandwich - even if it is cut in half as rectangles.

Seasonal cupcake papers fit pretty well in the small plastic lidded bowls. So if you pack fruit, cookies, crackers, veggies in the bowls consider adding a cupcake paper in the bowl first. Pack a fun, colorful or even a seasonal napkin in the lunch. Perhaps wrap a colored fork or spoon in the napkin and seal it shut with a fun sticker. It doesn't take much to add a little fun to lunches and to say in a big way, "I really love you!" What do you do to make lunches more fun for the little ones?