Back to school means back to packing lunches for the kids.
Ensuring you are packing their lunchboxes with nutritious, healthy foods is important because the foods we consume, no matter how old we are, play a large role in our physical and cognitive health.
According to the CDC, healthy eating helps prevent the development of various health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and iron deficiency, among others. Not only does healthy eating benefit our bodies, but it also boosts energy levels and improves concentration.
Tips for Packing a Healthy Lunchbox
- Make sure to include all the major food groups in your child’s lunch. This includes vegetables, grains, fruits, and proteins. According to MyPlate, a balanced meal should consist of about half a plate of fruits and/or vegetables, about a quarter of the plate with whole grains, and the remaining quarter with protein, along with a side of dairy, like a glass of milk or a cup of yogurt. Go to gov to learn more about portion sizes for each food group. Including the correct portion in your child’s lunch will not only give them a balanced meal, but will also, over time, form a habit of eating these foods as opposed to junk foods that have no positive health impacts.
- Make packing school lunches fun by including your child in the process. Allow them to choose between different options, such as raspberries or bananas, chicken or turkey, or cucumbers or carrots. Giving them a choice will make them more inclined to eat the food in their lunch. To go a step further, ask them to help you cut vegetables, peel fruits, or pack silverware to give them some hands-on experience.
Easy, Healthy Lunch Ideas
- Turkey and Cheese Roll-Ups
Ingredients: turkey, cheese slices.
Instructions: Roll turkey slices around cheese slices. - Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad
Ingredients: rotisserie chicken, whole grain pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta cheese, Italian dressing.
Instructions: Cook pasta and let it cool. Shred rotisserie chicken. Mix cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta, and chicken with the pasta. Toss with Italian dressing. - Egg Salad Sandwich
Ingredients: hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, whole grain bread, lettuce.
Instructions: Mash eggs with mayonnaise and mustard, spread on bread, add lettuce. - Mini Pita Pockets
Ingredients: mini whole wheat pitas, gyro meat, hummus, shredded carrots, cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes.
Instructions: Fill pita pockets with gyro meat, hummus, and veggies. - Banana and Nut Butter Sandwich
Ingredients: whole grain bread, banana slices, nut butter (peanut, almond, etc.).
Instructions: Spread nut butter on bread, add banana slices, top with another slice of bread.
According to the CDC, empty calories from added sugars and solid fats contribute to 40% of daily calories for children and adolescents ages 2 to 18 years. Approximately half of these empty calories come from six sources:
- Soda
- Fruit drinks
- Dairy desserts
- Grain desserts
- Pizza
- Whole milk
Go-To Snack Ideas
- Apple slices with nut butter of choice
- Carrot sticks with ranch dip
- Homemade trail mix (nuts, dried fruit, dark chocolate chips)
- Cheese cubes and whole grain crackers
- Sliced bell peppers with hummus or guacamole
Start Strong This School Year
Your child’s health is crucial to their overall physical and cognitive performance. Use these recipes to make back-to-school lunches fun, delicious, and to start them off on the right foot this school year.
