Thursday, August 15, 2013

Stress-Free School Lunches


Make half your plate fruits and vegetables! Whether or not kids eat it or have refused it in the past, be consistent anyway. It can take up to 20 times before your child will readily accept a food.
Make healthy eating fun. Add a variety of color and cut items into fun shapes. Playing with food is how kids experience all aspects of the food. ENCOURAGE this behavior as it will help kids try new things.
Figure out what is available at school. How much time is there for lunch/recess? Does your child have access to a fridge/microwave? The option for keeping things cold and reheating is important as is the amount of time actually available to eat.
Healthy Meal Options
  • Colorful veggies with Greek yogurt ranch dip: Combine 1 packet of ranch seasoning dressing with 1, 16 oz container of plain, non-fat Greek yogurt. For an even healthier option, dice up Italian parsley, a clove of garlic, chop chives and add lemon juice to taste. Not a fan of ranch? Try homemade hummus with cut up veggies instead.
  • Fruit with cinnamon-honey Greek yogurt dip: Combine honey (a little), cinnamon and vanilla extract to plain, non-fat Greek yogurt for a sweet and protein-packed dip to pair with any fruit. Great snack for after sports practice!
  • Tuna or Salmon Salad Sandwich: Reduce the amount of mayo, add plain Greek yogurt, mustard, chopped veggies (celery, carrots…). Keep in separate container from bread or wrap. Consider putting in a big lettuce leaf for a crunchy way to increase veggies in the diet.
  • Be creative with leftovers. Whether it is pork, beef or chicken add a little BBQ sauce, mustard, Greek yogurt/mayo mixture some chopped veggies and wrap it up, throw it on a salad or slice of bread. For example, if you had chicken for dinner, chop it up with a little mayo and Greek yogurt, diced grapes, chopped celery and walnuts for a healthy chicken salad sandwich (or wrap).
Meal-Packing Tips
  • Skip sodaStick with water, regular milk or 100% juice (but limit to 4-8 oz total per day).  NOTE: 1 cup is much less than you think!  When in doubt, measure it out!
  • Nix chipsPretzels, chips, goldfish crackers, fruit snacks etc. have no nutritional value, which means they have the ability to displace healthy foods (by filling up your kid’s tummy without any good nutrients). Don’t be fooled by “organic” or “natural” versions of these either. Stick with real, whole fruits/veggies and use dips (like yogurt options above) or nut butters to encourage intake.
  • Go nuts. Nuts/seeds and nut butters contain healthy fats and protein as well as important vitamins and minerals. They make a great addition to any lunch. Be sure to contact your school regarding rules for peanut allergies as some schools have restrictions. TIP: Store natural nut butters upside down in your fridge to evenly distribute oils and preventing the need to stir.
  • Don't Ditch DairyDairy provides the highest amount of absorbable calcium per serving compared to other foods. Bones act like a bank for calcium and ‘save’ up calcium through adolescence. After the age of 18 however, absorption of calcium decreases significantly, so it is very important to make sure calcium intake is adequate during youth. If your child has an intolerance or allergy make sure they are getting fortified sources of calcium elsewhere. String cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese all make for great protein and calcium snacks for lunches. Lactose intolerant? There are great calcium-fortified milk alternatives to boost bone development.

1 comment:

  1. Sugar wrecks havoc on your health, in addition to leading to additional belly fat.

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