Creative Sandwiches for Picky Eaters • Mama Latina Tips

Thanks to the great folks at Nature's Own for making this post possible. As always, my comments, opinions, and love for homemade sandwiches are my own.

My idea for this post was to suggest ideas for creative sandwiches for picky eaters just in time for back-to-school. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it wasn't enough. That's because each person is unique. How can I tell you what to put on your picky eater's sandwiches? The real trick is to get your picky eater to tell you.

After thinking about it, I realized that all this is not so much about creative sandwiches for picky eaters as it is individualized sandwiches for every eater. The bonus here is we can get rid of judgmental labels like picky.

My younger son, for example, isn't a big fan of cheese on his sandwiches (unless it's grilled cheese or a cheeseburger). But when we laid out various options for him to choose from, he opted for hummus. A very reasonable option I would say and definitely not picky.

The truth is most everyone has preferences, although some of us may be a little more demanding about them than others.

So here are some suggestions for finding the right ingredients for your kids' back-to-school lunchboxes, based on what has worked for me.

Get them to “buy in” to their own lunches.
- Keep them involved. Take them to the store to make their own recommendations for sandwich fixings. Not every idea will work, but they may surprise you with a few good ones.
- If possible, let them put together their own sandwiches. This gives them ownership.
- On a weekend, when there is less time pressure, spread out all the lunch box options you can come up with on the table. Ask the kids to choose what they want on their sandwiches. This is how I discovered my son's preference for hummus, and it will give you insight into their vision of a sandwich.
Be open minded. My older son's idea for a peanut butter, jelly, and chipotle sandwich sounded a bit far out, at first, but it's surprisingly good, and one of his favorites.

Now there's a way to keep things from getting out of hand. Every option has to first meet your standards. You can let the kids choose between bread options A, B, and C, for instance, from an assortment of bread varieties your whole family loves including you.

Watch how my boys choose between 100% Whole Wheat, Honey Wheat, and Butterbread in the following video. While they are making their own choices, Nature's Own, America's favorite bread brand, allows me to provide choices with no artificial preservatives, color, or flavors, and with no high fructose corn syrup.

Here are some ideas, both traditional and untraditional, for back to school lunch box sandwich fixings my family loves:

Salami, dijon mustard, mayo, olives, cheddar cheese and spinach on butterbread
Hummus, salami, spinach and tomato on butterbread
Sweet & spicy mustard, mayo, turkey, lettuce and avocado on honey wheat bread
Spicy mustard, salami, spinach, cheese, pickles, and mayo on 100% whole wheat bread
PB&J with chipotle on honey wheat bread

What are your lunch box sandwich ideas?

Enjoy!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Nature's Own. The opinions and text are all mine.

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Silvia Martinez

Silvia started bilingual website Mama Latina Tips in 2009 to connect and share her stories, recipes and culture with readers. Silvia loves dancing, cooking, watching movies, reading, throwing Mexican parties and spending time with family and friends. Silvia is the winner of The Great American Recipe.

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