Filio, aka abc_Lunchies on Teuko.com, lives in Cyprus. After 12 successful years in the recruitment industry, she is today a very involved and proud stay-at-home mummy of two wonderful children, Mr. C, aged 5, and Miss A, aged 7. She is one of the fun and creative lunchbox moms who initiated the #lunchboxesaroundtheworld challenge on Instagram. She told us how she got started with lunch packing and how she makes it a happy journey.

Hi Filio! How did you start your lunchbox journey?

Being the first born, my daughter had a hard time adjusting to school from pre-reception. She would cry endlessly from the previous night about going to school and kept asking me to be her teacher so that we could be together at school like we are in life, and many times she would come back home having eaten nothing from her lunchbox.

This is when I decided that I wanted to put “a little bit of mummy” in my daugther’s lunchbox in order to help her feel close to me during lunchtime. From handwritten lunchbox notes, to heart shaped sandwiches and fruits & veggies, my lunch packing journey began and continues with both her and my youngest.

How do you make it work everyday?

I usually plan the lunch boxes over the weekend, using a lunchbox planner. I always try to include foods from all the food groups and always want to expose them to new foods. Especially my son, as he is the pickiest of the pickiest eaters in the world – whereas my daughter would try anything you put in front of her. Most of the days, I pack their lunch boxes at night, right after they have gone to bed to save time in the morning.

Do you have basic tips to help other parents improve their own lunch packing experience?

1- Use colors! Kids eat with their eyes first and all kids love colorful things, including food.

2- Use silicone cups to keep food ‘tidy’ and in one place. This allows for portion control and also helps if children do not like foods touching! Plus, it makes it look pretty.

3- Use accessories to make lunches more fun: food picks, silicone cups, sandwich cutters, skewers are some of the basic accessories you can get started with.

4- Always pack 1-2 of their favorite foods, especially when trying to introduce new savors.
If I kept offering Mr. C only sandwiches and cucumbers, this is all he will eat. But if I offer a quarter of a sandwich, 3 or 5 sticks of cucumbers plus the new foods, then he is bound to try it. This is how he started eating strawberries & blueberries… I offer them in small amounts in the beginning with apples (which he loves) and then reduce the amount of apple and increase the amount of strawberries / blueberries or other foods. It will not always work, but even if it does at least once – then this is a win for any mummy who has a picky eater.

5- Get the kids involved and ask what they would like in their lunchbox. Even better, allow them to pack the lunch themselves! My little ones get excited when they go to the pantry / fridge to get foods out to pack their lunch boxes by themselves- especially my daughter!

What are your favorite lunchbox accessories?

I am a huge fan of Yumbox lunch boxes. I bought my first one when Miss A started preschool and now have all the range: Yumbox Original, Yumbox Panino, Yumbox Tapas. They are great as they are colorful, have fun illustrated tray inserts, allow for portion control, keep food fresh and are leak-proof!

Sandwich & veggie cutters are also one of my favorite accessories to use. I mainly use Lunch Punch cutters as they have great figures and make sandwiches that much more fun. Food picks and food sticks are also great accessories for keeping foods together and for making fun and colorful fruit & veggie skewers.

Edible markers are also good for making food fun and colorful!

Visit Filio’s profile on Teuko.com to see the full list of all her favorite lunch accessories.

Can you point out your kids’ favorite lunch boxes so far?

Thanks Filio, we’re in awe of your lunchbox creativity and fun!

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Are you ready to transform your lunchbox experience? Join Filio today, create your free account on Teuko.com and get weekly ideas and tips from our amazing community around the world!

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