Independent Lunch: A Practical Guide to Empowering Your Children

06 March, 2025

The lunch box is a great opportunity to develop your child's autonomy while educating them about healthy eating habits. In addition, you will be delighted to have help in carrying out this time-consuming and repetitive task. By organizing the environment well and using the right tools, your child can quickly become independent in this daily task.

The contents of a balanced lunch box

In everyday life, every opportunity is good to teach children new things and give them good lifestyle habits. Explaining to children what should be in a lunch box and what a healthy choice is will be easily learned in the repetition that represents the daily management of the lunch box.

A nutritious lunch box contains:

  • A protein main meal

  • One or two snacks (fruit/vegetables)

  • A healthy dessert

  • The necessary utensils

  • A bottle of water

The autonomous lunch routine

As in all things, children first need instructions, a way of doing things, a clear sequence to learn a new gesture of autonomy.

Create a simple sequence to follow:

  1. I take out my lunch box

  2. I take my meal in the "Lunch" tray

  3. I have one or two snacks

  4. I add a dessert

  5. I check that I have my utensils

  6. I put my water bottle

Organize the environment

With a clear sequence, we have a better chance of success, but if we want to put all the chances on our side, we can also ensure that this sequence is associated with visual reminders.

Les Belles Combines labels are the perfect tools for organizing the environment.

The labeled bin system :

  • Bac Lunch: prepared main meal

  • Snacks Tray: vegetables, fruits, rusks

  • Desserts Tray: yogurt, compote, biscuits

The I make my lunch alone label to put in the lunch bag:

On this label we find the sequence mentioned above.

Learning Progress

  1. 5-6 years: Assembly

    • Choose from prepared bins

    • Follow the visual sequence

    • Check with list

  2. 7-8 years: Help with preparation

    • Fill the snack bins

    • Cut simple fruits/vegetables

    • Portioning Foods

    • Participate in the choices

  3. 9+ years: Complete preparation

    • View the menu on Octave

    • Prepare your lunch for the next day

    • Manage the filling of the bins

    • Make the grocery list

    • Suggest menus

Two family approaches:

  1. Every man for himself

    • Individual responsibility

    • Personal preparation

  2. Collective approach

    • Family mutual aid

    • Bins always full

    • Individual assembly

Educational tools

Printable resources:

🚀 Find this article and much more in the Octave app: shared calendar, collaborative task list, meal planner, centralization of family information and autonomy monitoring - your number 1 ally for an organized family life! 📱✨