1. Discuss the food pyramid and other nutrition topics — After talking about the food pyramid, my kids were on a mission to make sure they got all of their food groups in their lunch.

2. Where does food come from? — Lunch can be the perfect time to talk about where food comes from. Many city kids, like the kids I used to teach in our most urban area where I live, would answer that food comes from a store. They had no concept about food being grown.

3. Different Cultures — Lunch gives you an opportunity to further your geography studies. Studying Mexico? Why not some Mexican food? We enjoyed a Chinese buffet not once, but twice, while studying the Summer Olympics in Beijing.

4. Cook with Books — No, I’m not talking about cookbooks. I’m talking about noticing if the books you are reading talk about foods. If they do, try to incorporate the idea into one of your lunches. Reading Green Eggs and Ham? Then make them one day for lunch! Stone Soup, Growing Vegetable Soup, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Young Cam Jansen and the Pizza Shop Mystery…the options are endless!

5. Lunch Ideas Don’t Think Up Themselves — I know that my kids don’t consider that I have to think of what we are eating each day, for each meal. Having them sit down to plan a well balanced lunch is a great exercise for them in science and household management.

Angie writes at Many Little Blessings, sharing her family’s life and times, while she throws in the occasional recipe, household tip, or crafty project.