Your preschooler should eat a variety of foods, so familiarizing yourself with the food pyramid is a good idea. You will see that preschoolers need grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy and protein. Make healthy decisions when it comes to the individual food categories. For instance, use whole wheat bread for a sandwich instead of white bread, even though both types are part of the grains category. Additionally, select fresh fruits to serve to your preschooler instead of canned fruits, which contain added sugars.
The foods you pack for your preschooler should be simple so that they are easy to eat. Do not give your child packaged foods that he or she will have a hard time opening, as this can become discouraging, potentially causing your preschooler to skip lunch entirely. According to "The Lunch Box," kids need to develop feelings of independence and self-confidence when they eat, which can be done by keeping things simple.
If you want your preschooler to enjoy the food you pack for him or her, make the lunches appealing to the senses. Use a variety of colors, textures and flavors to attract your preschooler to the healthy and nutritious foods you have selected. You can also accomplish this by turning foods into interesting shapes. For instance, cut a whole wheat sandwich into sandwich stars with a star-shaped cookie cutter. Alternately, rather than giving your preschooler one type of fruit to eat, make a fruit salad with blueberries, raspberries and bananas to provide some color.
You may think that your preschooler will become hungry again shortly after lunch if you give him or her small servings. However, according to "The Lunch Box," this can be avoided if you provide your child with a healthy and filling breakfast in the morning at home. Giving your preschooler large servings may encourage him or her to overeat and can also result in food waste if he or she is unable to eat everything that you pack.
Some children like consistency in their meals, while others grow bored of eating the same meal over and over again. Try changing your child's lunch every day or two so that when your preschooler opens his or her lunchbox, he or she will be surprised by what is inside.
Adding a personal touch to your child's lunch can make your preschooler more comfortable eating at school. A little note to say hello, a picture of the family pet or a sticker can make your child excited about lunch.