The author pays other parents to make her kids' school lunches.
Courtesy of Felicia Medina
When my children and I lived together under the same roof full time, preparing their lunches was one of my primary love languages.Our family belonged to two community-supported agriculture programs (CSAs) on Long Island's East End. Our kitchen was always filled with fresh produce, eggs, jams, sauces, specialty foods, and whatever we had decided to bake that week.We made sweet and savory breads, scones, and muffins for the children to bring to school or camp. Their lunches were not so elaborate, but they were creative and fun. We made dishes like stir-fries, tacos, loaded mac and cheese, casseroles, slow-cooker meals, sandwiches, pasta, seasoned chicken strips, and rice bowls.After my marriage ended, the day-to-day rhythm entirely transformed. It's now difficult for me to make my kids' school lunches.Despite the difficulties, I still wanted to make school lunchesI now live 30 to 40 minutes from my children, who live primarily with their father in East Hampton. During the summer, that drive can become two to three times as long.Traffic between Hampton Bays and East Hampton is notoriously difficult, and on the worst mornings, a trip that should take less than an hour can stretch to nearly two hours or longer.At first, I tried to maintain our old routine by preparing a variety of lunches on Sunday before bringing the children back to their father's house.
