It’s not easy to pack a lunch that will please (and actually nourish) a picky toddler, but I do have some tips for anyone looking for toddler lunch ideas.

• Stick to finger foods that minimize mess and allow them to practice their fine motor skills (I’m a big fan of cold cuts and bite-sized fruits and veggies for that reason)
• Let little ones help assemble their lunch (“When my kids were little I bought a ‘kitchen helper’ [step stool] that allowed them to be at the counter with me and at least watch and comment on what I was doing, if not help,” PureWow contributor Emma Singer says, adding that getting her kids involved in the process made them more likely to actually eat the meal later.
• Invest in a high-quality lunch box. “From my experience, toddlers in particular benefit from bento box-style lunch boxes, since they have that charming habit of occasionally melting down if one food item makes contact with another,” Singer, a mom of two, says. “Whatever type you choose, though, make sure it’s durable enough to take a beating (because, yeah, that thing is going to be dropped on a daily basis).” You can find some editor-tested lunch box recommendations here.

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