Ms. Chatham’s Lunch Box Sticker Chart

The parents in Whitney P.’s son’s kindergarten class were really struggling with how to get their kids (and their parents!) excited about packing healthier lunches. It was teacher Jen Chatham to the rescue when she came up with the idea of a Lunch Box Sticker Chart. Here’s how it works:

For every fresh fruit or veggie in each child’s lunch box each day, they receive two stickers. For fruit cups and applesauce, they receive 1 sticker. Whitney reports, “In 17 school days our class had over 551 stickers! Our goal was 300, so we were beyond excited.”

Has the excitement lasted in the long term? The answer is a resounding, YES! “Our lunches have dramatically changed and our parents more aware of the effect that food choices have on their kids,” says Whitney. “Now, my son always points out to me when I have packed him an unhealthy item in his lunch box!”