I Have Lunch Box ‘Trauma’
I grew up with a mother who was way ahead of her time. In the late '80s and early '90s, she ran an organic vegetarian Mexican restaurant in the tiny seaside town where I grew up. She was incredibly conscious of what we ate—and she was an amazing cook.
This was all well and good until I started school. Picture this: small-town Canada in the '80s, two foreign parents, and some seriously unconventional food. It wasn’t exactly the setup for fitting in.
I loved eating at my friends’ houses—Fruit Loops, Kraft Dinner, and Ichi Ban were my holy grail.
I just wanted to be “normal,” to eat “normal” food, and to have “normal” parents. But that wasn’t my reality. As I began to realize what other kids were bringing in their lunch boxes, I started doing everything I could to take over my own lunch-making.
I vividly remember a grocery store trip with my dad, where I somehow convinced him my mom let me have Fruit Roll-Ups. He believed me. When we got home, my mom caught the lie, and—yes—we returned the Fruit Roll-Ups. This is a memory from when I was five or six, so who knows how accurate it is, but it sticks with me.
And I don’t tell this story to throw my mom under the bus—in fact, it’s the opposite. Now that I’m a mom myself, I admire her deeply.
But it was hard. It might sound silly, but this left a lasting (little “t”) trauma on me through all of grade school. I felt different. I felt weird. I just wanted to eat the junk everyone else was eating. Even my junk food was the healthy, hippy version. I’d get the whole-foods-approved Ichi Ban knockoff.
Now, as a parent, I’ve become exactly like my mom when it comes to nutrition ideals. I even studied nutrition in university, so I fully understand how vital early childhood nutrition is—especially for mineral intake, blood sugar balance, bone strength, and brain development.
From day one, I have focused on feeding my kid well. Now that he's in school, I try to make lunches that are both nutritious and exciting. Thankfully, a lot of the “weird” foods my mom gave me back then are no longer considered weird at all.
It’s come full circle—and honestly, I’m proud of it.
A Few Loose Rules I Follow (Without the Lunch Box Trauma)
I’ve developed my own approach to food and nutrition for my kid—rooted in what I’ve learned, what I lived, and what I wish I’d had. Here are a few loose rules we follow:
He can eat what he wants when we’re out.
Because I felt I was so restricted as a child (this may not be true!), I developed a deep love for junk food and candy—which I thankfully got over in my early 20s after fully indulging. I don’t want to set up the same dynamic for him. So, when we’re out—at a party, restaurant, beach or ski hill—he can have what everyone else is having.
I want him to know his own limits.
My hope is that by trying things like cake, fries, or candy in real-world settings, he’ll learn over time to listen to his body. And honestly, I already see that happening. Sometimes he’ll say something is too sweet, other times he’ll go for it. It’s not always fun for me to witness (or deal with the sugar crash!), but I want him to build that internal awareness on his own.
I don’t demonize foods.
We talk about things like pesticides—he knows that organic means less bug and plant poison. But that’s where I stop. I don’t label foods as “bad.” Maybe it’s my hippy roots, but I truly believe that what you think about the food you eat affects your body just as much as the nutrients do. I also don’t want him to think that something is bad and have to sneak it or feel any sort of shame around food. I want him to understand that we can have less nutritious foods from time to time and that is totally ok.
Blood Sugar Balance is a Priority
We do have treats at home from time to time, but they’re thoughtful. We bake together— it is often low sugar, gluten free and I add protein powder or collagen to balance the sugar—or we choose store-bought ice cream (his favourite treat) with minimal ingredients and organic milk. (My dream is grass-fed raw dairy, low sugar, but you know…)
I’ve taught him to pair sweets with protein or fat when possible—like beef jerky, nuts, chickpeas, chocolate protein powder, or a meal before something sweet. He’s getting there, he’s only 4, so... Patience.
Trying New Foods is a Rule
My kid—unlike me—isn’t someone who jumps into new things easily. So, we have a household rule: you have to try everything once. Just one bite. If he doesn’t like it, he doesn’t have to finish it... this time.
When I studied nutrition, I read research that says it takes up to 14 exposures before a child truly knows if they like something. So we’re in it for the long game.
No Special Meals
We eat dinner together as a family most nights, and we eat the same meal. If he doesn’t love what’s on the table, he finds something within the meal that works for him. Don’t worry—I’m not torturing the kid. I cook things we all enjoy, but as he gets older, he’s becoming more vocal about specific ingredients. And that’s okay.
I Sneak in Minerals Where I Can
Unfortunately, he hates the taste of trace minerals in water. So I sneak them into homemade Jello or juice when he does drink it on occasion for the the added magnesium.
I add silica to water, milk, Jello, or rooibos tea. (Yes, he likes tea. British roots, I guess.)
I occasionally add iodine drops to food or drinks—because I’ve tested his minerals and know he’s deficient.
Most mornings while I make breakfast, I give him two Brazil nuts for selenium.
I Give Him Vitamins
I know this is contentious, especially with dentists, but yes—I give him vitamin gummies. I rotate them based on what his body needs (I use an at-home mineral testing device), and I look for options with minimal sugar—ideally stevia-sweetened, with just gelatin, juice, and nutrients. This is the multivitamin I have him on now.
He used to tolerate the taste of shilajit when he was younger… not so much anymore.
I use homeopathic mineral salts for any deficiencies I’ve confirmed.
I give him Cod Liver Oil regularly, but not daily. Luckily he likes it! Probably because he started when he was around one, he still tolerates the flavour. I on the other hand have to take the capsules to avoid the flavour. Like everything else, quality matters. We only use the Rosita's brand, which is cold pressed and NOT fermeted.
Organ Meats + Collagen = Hidden Nutrition
About once a week, I incorporate grass-fed organic organ meats into meals—meatballs, burgers, lasagna. I sneak it in wherever I can.
I also add collagen wherever it fits: in oatmeal (with a raw egg yolk and 10g of collagen per portion), in applesauce, and even in Annie’s mac and cheese when we make it (yes, I allow that sometimes too!).
My Mineral-Boosted Jello Recipe
This is my go-to homemade Jello—packed with minerals and kid-approved. It’s naturally sweet (without the sugar), easy to prep, and a sneaky way to get in some extra goodness.
Ingredients:
2L sugar-free juice
I love using Black River juices—especially the black cherry + pomegranate or blueberry combo.1/3 cup grass-fed organic gelatin
If you want it to be more firm make it 1/2 cup. (Make sure the gelatin is high quality!)2 tbsp trace mineral drops
Choose a high quality brand.
1/4 cup silica
I use the brand Living Silica.
10 drops of iodine
I switch between nascent, kelp extract and lugols.
Instructions:
Pour the juice into a pot (leave the heat off for now).
Sprinkle the gelatin over the juice and let it bloom for 5 minutes—this step helps the texture.
Turn the stove on to medium heat and gently warm the mixture until hot, but not boiling.
Turn off the heat, then stir in the trace minerals, silica, and iodine.
Pour into a large glass Pyrex dish and refrigerate until fully set.
Once firm, cut into 1" x 1" squares.
Eat freely—your body (and your kid’s body) will thank you!
Today’s Lunch Box
From top left to right:
- Strawberries and cashew pieces.
- Raw parmesan cheese, red peppers, cucumber.
- Gluten free casava flour quesadillas with raw strong cheddar and Avocado.
- Grass fed Beef Jerky.
- Magnesium gummy in the middle.
* everything is organic.