Send Your Child Back To School With A Fun, Nutritious Lunch
by Sheila McCormick on September 2nd, 2008
Loading ...Summer is winding down and it’s time to focus on getting your child ready to be successful during the coming school year.In order for children to perform at optimal levels at school, it is crucial that they eat healthy lunches that are brimming with the right nutrients.
If your child is among the 26 million children each school day that eat the “nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches” provided by the National School Lunch Program, you may think that they are eating healthy. But did you know that the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and the Healthy School Lunch Campaign say that the “menus served in school lunch programs are too rich in saturated fat and cholesterol and too low in fiber- and nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes?”
The lunches served by schools have come under close scrutiny by nutritional experts due to the “empty” calories they may contain. Consequently, many parents are opting to pack lunches for their children. When you pack the lunch yourself, you can rest assured that your children are getting the nutrition they need. Starting your kids off right by packing school lunches with healthy foods that taste good will help them establish healthy eating habits for life.
Your child’s lunch box should include a good source of protein, calcium, grains and a fruit or vegetable. But even the best-planned lunch is useless if your child doesn’t eat it. The best way to make sure your children will eat the healthy lunches you pack is to involve them in the process. Sit down with your children and make a list of things they like to eat. Letting children choose their food and participate in the preparation of their lunch may improve their intake, especially for ‘picky’ eaters.
Bear in mind that children like their food in small portions. Grapes, blueberries, sliced strawberries, chopped melon, nuts, raisins and baby carrots are all excellent additions to any lunch. If your child prefers sandwiches for lunch, choose whole grain bread, wraps, or pitas. Each sandwich should have a healthy protein source and healthy toppings. Egg salad, tuna, peanut butter and sliced turkey are all good ingredients for healthy sandwiches.
Children are more likely to eat their lunches if there is an element of fun involved. Use cookie cutters to form sandwiches into animal shapes or decorate apples with happy faces made of raisins. Feed your child’s body and soul by including a note from you telling them how proud you are of them. Use stickers and colorful markers to decorate their lunch bags. Small touches can make big differences in how children perceive their lunches. With just a little extra effort you can put together a healthy lunch that your children will find impossible to resist.
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