Pack a healthy lunch for kids

School has started in many areas or will be soon.  So many moms and dads will be packing a lunch for their kids.  On school lunch duty, I observed a lot of kid’s lunches.  One girl opened her lunch to a sandwich always cut into a shape, a heart one day, a diamond the next.  She always had 2 servings of fruits or vegetables in her lunch.  She bought milk and had quite a healthy lunch every day.  Another student had braces.  His mom packed him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich every day.  And every day he threw away the sandwich, not even one bite taken.  I asked him why and he said he didn’t want the peanut butter to get stuck in his braces.  But he never told his mom this.  So, every day she packed the peanut butter and jelly sandwich and every day he threw it away.  The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at eatright.org has some good suggestions for parents when packing that school lunch.

Q:  What if my kid doesn’t eat the lunch I pack?

Ask your kid what they like in their lunch.  Let your child help pack their lunch.  Take them to the grocery store and help them choose some nutritious options for their lunch.  Let them choose fruit they will eat.  Some applesauce, a fruit cup in natural juice.  Some cut up apple slices, a box of raisins. 

Q:  My kid doesn’t have time to eat his/her lunch?

Some schools only provide about 20 minutes to eat lunch.  Sounds like plenty of time, but talking to friends, going back to a locker because they forgot their lunch and soon lunch time is over.  Pack foods easier to eat.  A sandwich would be better than a thermos of hot food that may take a while to eat.  

Q:  I found out my kid couldn’t open their lunch box

Test out the lunch box at home.  Can your child unzip the zipper, open the latch?  Can they open the containers you put in the lunch?  If a kid can’t open their lunch box, they may be too shy to ask for help.  

Q:  Pack some vegetables and fruit

Aim for at least one serving of fruit or veggies in your kid’s lunch and 2 servings would be even better.  If your child won’t eat plain carrots, pack some regular or low-fat Ranch dressing.  Add some salsa or guacamole for dipping the veggies or crackers.  Salsa and guacamole are super healthy.  Have your child choose a vegetable or fruit they want to pack in their lunch.  

Q:  Don’t forget the milk/dairy

Milk at meals is always a good rule.  All schools sell milk so ask your child to buy milk to go with their lunch.  Pack some pudding for dessert to get some more calcium in their day.  Or pack some yogurt for a protein and calcium boost.  One mom suggested making smoothies ahead of time, freezing them and by lunch time they would be thawed enough to eat. Or put in some string cheese. 

Freezer Smoothie

Q:  How to make lunch more fun?

Choose some fun containers. One mom uses “bento – box” lunch containers as they separate the sandwich, veggies into compartments. Some moms cut up the sandwiches into animal or other shapes. One parent cut up the cheese slice in the sandwich into a fun shape.  Include a fun dessert, a few Hershey kisses, some Hershey little chocolates.  

Q:  Don’t forget the grains

Every lunch needs a serving of grains. But it doesn’t always have to be bread for a sandwich.  Use a bagel, an English Muffin, include a pasta dish, use wraps for a “sandwich”.  Add some whole grain crackers, like Triscuits, and some cheese.  Try Almond Butter instead of peanut butter. See more suggestions on Simple Bites.    

                                                

Q:  Pictures, Pictures

If you are Pinterest fan, go to Healthy Lunches and see the hundreds of pictures for healthy school lunch ideas.  So many fun ideas and suggestions.  

Sources: eatright.org, mom, bento – box,  Simple Bites  Image Source:  lunch, energy bites, bento lunches