Back to School:

A wholesome lunch can be eaten!

• Have good foods available in the home and involve children in the planning and selection process for their own lunches.  (Two – three choices in each food group is reasonable)
• Involve your children in meal-time preparations at home as well.  For example, grocery shopping, pouring, breaking eggs, stirring, tearing lettuce.  Sharing this experience can open educational discussions on nutrients.  (Remember to teach your children to wash their hands before, during, and after meal preparation.)

• Have the right equipment available for packing a lunch that tastes good and “looks” good enough to eat, such as a thermos, an ice pack, a sturdy lunch box, and large and small plastic containers with lids.

• Look to include something from the following food groups in every lunch:  whole-grain carbohydrate, protein, fruit, vegetable, low or non-fat dairy, healthy fat.

• Be sure to keep cold food cold and hot foods hot

• Drinks should be 100% fruit juice, water, or skim milk.  “Fruit flavored” in a juice does not mean fruit nutrition.  Beverages labeled fruit drink, fruit cocktail, fruitade may contain added sugars which will replace fruit nutrition and increase empty calorie intake.
  • Read the label.  The ingredient list should list the fruit juice as one of the first ingredients.        

• Sandwiches are great if your child likes sandwiches.  Remember there are other options such as pairing rolled up deli meat with lettuce leaves or bread sticks.  Whole grain bread options include pita pockets, crackers, whole-grain bread sticks or sesame sticks, vegetable or whole-grain chips, rice cakes, tortillas, mini-bagels, raisin bread, small dinner rolls, and english muffins.  
  • Look for NO “Hydrogenated or “Partially hydrogenated” oils listed in the ingredient section of the product label.   
  • Look for 100% whole grain as the first ingredient. 
  • If your child does not like 100% whole grain bread, try to find the “whole” grain listed as the second ingredient.
  • Remember portion sizes.  Pre-made wraps may have the calories of two meals.  Best to make your own to control calories, fat, sodium, and size. 
  • Add fresh veggies to wraps and pitas.

• Sandwiches or crackers can be paired with sliced deli meats (preferably Nitrate-free), string cheese, low-fat cream cheese, soy cheese, peanut butter (or other nut butters such as almond butter), tuna made with a small amount of light mayonnaise or canola-oil mayonnaise, left-over grilled chicken sliced or cut into cubes, hummus spread.  

• Presentation is important – you can cut sandwiches into triangles, circles, diamonds, etc.  You can use thin carrot sticks as skewers for fruit kabobs. 

• Yogurt can be paired with a separate container of granola or other favorite cereal, or nuts, to add before eating.  

• Fresh fruits and vegetables should be a part of every healthy meal.  Fruits and veggies should be easy to eat.  Children will be more likely to eat them if they are presented in an easy-to-eat manner.  For example, peel fruit that needs it and cut fruits and veggies into finger-sized pieces.   
  • Grapes, sliced peaches, pears, apples, pineapple chunks, berries, bananas, or other fresh fruit.
  • Celery sticks, carrot sticks, cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, string beans, broccoli tips, pepper slices, or other fresh veggies.
  • Low-fat ranch salad dressing, honey mustard, low-fat cream cheese, hummus or avocado dips can be paired with veggies pieces for dipping.

• Trail mixes made by you and your child that include nuts, dried fruit, favorite cereal pieces.

• Even though fewer varieties of fruits are available in the winter months, a convenient option that’s always available is dried fruit.  Like fresh fruit, dried fruit provides fiber, vitamins A & C, potassium, and folate.  However, dried fruit usually contains more calories per serving than fresh fruit, so keep portion sizes small.
  • Some dried fruits contain sulfites, which can trigger an allergic reaction in some people.  Read the label.

• Nuts and seeds provide protein, carbohydrates, fat, and a variety of vitamins and minerals.  Remember, nuts are high in fat, but the fat in most nuts is healthy fat.  The key is to keep portion sizes small.

• Breakfast cereals can be a part of a ready-to-eat, nutritious lunch.  They can be enjoyed with or without skim milk. 
  • When choosing cereals, remember to check the label for fiber content (at least 2.5 grams preserving), look for whole grain.  Nuts in cereal can provide some healthy fat.

• An occasional treat can be incorporated into the week, but keep the portion sizes small.
  • Healthy, homemade cookies and muffins that your child partakes in preparing can be added.  (Best to prepare muffins in mini-muffin tins, they are the perfect size for a treat)
  • Individual low-fat chocolate pudding or soy chocolate pudding.
  • Small portion of low-fat, trans-fat free micro waved popcorn in sealed bag.
  • A few Hershey’s dark chocolate kisses.  The darker the chocolate, the more healthy compounds it contains.

• Pizza is not a terrible food.  If your child wants to buy the school lunch on pizza day, that would be a reasonable compromise.  Maybe you can pack some fruit or cut veggies to go along with it.

• If your child’s school has vending machines with soda, chips, cookies, etc. available, take action and lobby to have them eliminated or replaced with healthier choices. 

• Remember to include little notes from time-to-time.  A Post-it note that has a heart written on it with an “I love you” or “Have a nice afternoon” message will be nurturing and brighten up your child’s day.

• Good daytime nutrition includes a healthy breakfast and a healthy after-school snack, which is often the first thing on their mind when they get home.    This snack should include some carbohydrate and a little protein.  Try to incorporate whole grains, fruits, vegetables or beans into your child’s snack-eating plan.

• Fresh veggies and low-fat ranch dressing, or honey mustard dip (for example, pre-cut and ready to eat carrot sticks, cucumber slices, broccoli, string beans – some veggies taste better slightly steamed and store well in a plastic bag in refrigerator.)
• A bowl of whole-grain cereal with fruit and skim milk.
• A small salad with sliced deli meat, tuna, or beans
• Fruit, cheese or hummus, and whole-grain crackers
• Yogurt and few nuts or fruit
• Yogurt and fresh fruit smoothie

• It is important to remember that the other side of the healthy equation is to be active.  Set a good example in both nutrition and exercise.  Add regular physical activity to your child’s as well as your daily routine.