Back-to-school means adding that extra step of preparing lunches for the school day. Remember the daily dose of at least 5 fruits and vegetables and 0 sweetened beverages when packing school lunches, and try to include a variety of healthy options.
If your kids are picky eaters, try these ideas to help kids eat healthy:
- Get kids involved and have them help make and pack lunch foods.
- Use cookie cutters to make fun shapes out of foods like sandwiches, deli meat, and cheeses.
- Use wraps and fill them with tuna, chicken, or even veggies to make fun roll-ups.
- Include fruit, like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries and granola or bran flakes to sprinkle on top of yogurt.
- Pack individualized items for kids to make their own meals, for example taco fillers, veggie tortilla pizzas, chips and bean salsa, and cracker stackers.
- Include low-fat dips, like hummus, for vegetables.
If your mornings are rushed, try these ideas to save time:
- Use dinner leftovers!
- Pack the night before to save time in the morning.
- Buy fruits that don’t require manipulation, like bananas, apples, pears, and oranges.
- Pre-make and cut foods, like hard boiled eggs, carrots, celery, broccoli, cucumbers, cauliflower, and tomatoes for easy grab and go options.
- Make stackable foods in containers for the next day – or even the week – for example, salads and yogurt parfaits.
Additional Resources:
Back-to-School Healthy Lunch Ideas: http://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/back-to-school-healthy-lunch-ideas—by-devin-alexander