Dear Kimberly,

Sounds like you hit the wall!  I've got some ideas to help you over it:

First, when do you LIKE to think of menus for your family? Perhaps part of the problem of putting together a lunch for Dominic is the time you do it--too early in the morning? too late the night before? Maybe there's a better time to think creatively, harness the ingredients, and prepare some things ahead of time.

On the flip side, maybe you're putting too much effort into this, and you just can't sustain such a creative streak! If you're  an overachiever by nature, and burning out, I'd suggest you limit yourself : "I'll make 3 different sandwiches each week (which repeat from week to week), chicken sticks on Monday, and pizza for Friday." Similarly, you could have 3 or 4 different options for desserts and veggies and fruits. He should do fine with this, and you can incorporate "inspirational" lunches when the inspiration hits, without having the pressure to be inspirational on a daily basis.

The final piece of advice is to enjoy the fruit of others' labor: my third book is coming out soon, with all sorts of fun lunchbox ideas. There are also websites devoted to just this subject! 

With healthiest regards,

Missy

I am anticipating Sneaky Chef book #3!