Healthy lunch Ideas

Back to school and that means packing lunches once more. The challenge, provide variety and healthy choices that they will want to eat.
One of the biggest problems parents face is making it convenient and healthy at the same time. A lot of prepared foods are high in fat, sugar and sodium content and few provide the fruits, vegetables and whole grains needed to sustain energy and performance through out the day.
So, what’s a parent to do when it comes to getting them ready and out the door with only a few hours to spare? My best advice is to think ahead, my child prefers to take his lunch the majority of the time. However, there are days he likes to eat at school so we plan the week out on Sunday. He marks the days he wants to eat at school on the school lunch menu. Then I know the exact days he will be bringing a packed lunch. From there I plan the lunches he will be taking. Since my mornings and weeks are always very busy I pack up little bags of fruits and vegetables and place them in the refrigerator so I can just grab them and place them in the lunchbox. I also do this with crackers and use cheese sticks making it quick and easy to assemble the lunch. The only thing I have to do is make the sandwich, since I don’t like the tastes of one sitting for several hours.
Items great to pack up ahead of time and can be used for lunch or as a healthy snack after school.
• Grapes, strawberries, oranges, melon, etc.
• Carrots, celery, broccoli, etc.
• Make trail mix with dried fruits, crackers and nuts.
• Low sodium pretzels, baked chips, low-fat cheese crackers, nuts, sunflower seeds, etc.
Don’t forget when making your child’s sandwich to avoid fat and sodium. Use whole grain bread, low in sodium lunch meats or fat free versions. Don’t forget the cheese and condiments can also carry unwanted calories, so be sure to use fat free cheeses and go light on mayonnaise and other dressings. Try to add lettuce or tomatoes to the sandwich getting more vegetables throughout the day.
Keeping lunches exciting and interesting is going to be difficult. So, try packing a variety of foods, make it fun with encouraging notes, surprise them with a sweet treat once and awhile and get them involved in the planning of their lunch. Encouraging your child to be active in this process will teach them healthy choices and provide them an opportunity to take control over their heath. This will benefit them for years to come.
If you have easy tips or great recipes for school lunches submit them to sandi@lilboyblu.com and I’ll pass them along.