Meet Feeding LittlesMany of our clients have told us that packing lunch is one of their least favorite things about parenting.
It’s constant, it’s annoying, and their kids might not eat it anyway. Plus, when we’re uninspired and out of ideas, it can feel really tedious.
Social media doesn’t help either. We see images of gorgeous lunch boxes filled with every color of the rainbow, and we feel like we’re a failure if we don’t follow suit. We know our kids would probably love to find animal shapes complete with candy eyeballs when they open their lunch boxes, but our capacity for that on a daily basis is almost non-existent. We’re either putting in a lot of effort, or we’re doing it “wrong.”
It doesn’t have to be like this, friends. Promise.
We’re Megan and Judy, and as feeding and nutrition professionals, we definitely understand how hard it is to feed kids. Here’s the good news: Packing lunches can be easy when you have a good formula in your head and a bunch of simple ideas at your fingertips. No need to spend a ton of money, time, or effort, and certainly no candy eyeballs involved.
Before we get to these easy lunch ideas, we want to tell you a little bit about ourselves. Judy is an occupational therapist, specializing in feeding therapy and sensory processing, in Louisville, Colorado. Megan is a registered dietitian nutritionist, specializing in maternal/child nutrition and eating disorder prevention, in Scottsdale, Arizona.
We started Feeding Littles in 2014 as a way to bring our professional expertise to the world via social media content and online courses. Today we have the privilege of reaching millions of parents who are seeking nutrition, feeding, and parenting support—without all the judgment typically found online. Our goal is to help families all over the world raise adventurous, intuitive eaters.
While Judy’s kids are young adults who (thankfully) pack their own lunches for work, Megan is still in the throes of packing school lunch most days. Her older daughter was just a year old when Feeding Littles began, and Megan has been sharing lunch box inspo ever since.
The formula has always been pretty straight-forward, independent of kids’ ages: a starch, a protein, a vegetable, and a fruit. Add a dip, chips, or a dessert if you want. Offer simple, easy-to-assemble foods that you can pack in just a few minutes, utilizing leftovers and convenience items.
Don’t make it complicated.
As the Feeding Littles audience grew, so did the appreciation for our lunch content. Our followers loved seeing realistic, easy options that didn’t require specific recipes or hours of prep to put together.
After years of evolving our approach, listening to our audience, and testing out tons of lunch ideas, we finally have a spot to compile all our inspiration and encouragement—and that’s the book you’re reading now. Thank you for supporting our work. We hope this book becomes a beloved resource for your whole family.
From our hearts (and kitchens) to yous,
Megan and Judy
Copyright © 2024 by Megan McNamee, MPH, RDN, and Judy Delaware, OTR/L, CLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
