Packing a good lunch with items that will be enticing, tasty and consumed instead of being traded or tossed, has long been a dilemma for parents interested in nutrition. Flashy packaged on-the-go lunches are often full of salt and preservatives. At the same time, many fresh fruits and vegetables can be dangerous because of bacterial or pesticide contamination. Despite the challenges, there are still many things parents can do to kick off the school year in a healthy way. Here are some suggestions:
Visit your local farmer markets. Affordable organic options can help parents provide the best nutrition possible to support children’s growing bodies. If a child isn’t keen on raw veggies, cutting them into interesting shapes and packing them with a low fat dipping treat can encourage students to enjoy the crunch without the empty calories of chips.
1. Get creative – chips aren’t all bad. Low salt, low fat sweet potato, beet and carrot chips are more widely available than ever before. Getting the necessary minerals from root vegetables is easier when the form is colorful and treat-like in appearance.
2. Protein challenges – try hummus. Warm weather poses particular challenges for preventing bacterial growth in packed lunches for the first couple of months of school. Hummus made from chickpeas travels well and packs a healthy portion of protein. Best of all, it can be easily scooped onto crackers or used as a dip for veggies.
3. Mixing whole wheat pasta into a multi-colored pasta dish can be a great way to boost vitamin content and add a bit of fiber.
4. Experiment with freezing yogurt the night before and packing it with a baggie of vitamin and mineral fortified cereal, or a medley of diced fresh fruit as a topping. Depending on the time of day the student eats lunch, the yogurt may still be frozen and eaten like an ice-cream treat.
5. Picky eaters and those too busy to eat may enjoy vitamin-packed juiced lunches frozen at home and frosty by lunch. Juicing machines allow for great vegetables like kale and spinach to be added to the beverage masked under the sweetness of juices from oranges or other fruit. All-in-one wraps are also a good idea for children who tend to rush through lunch.
6. Variety in color, texture and types of foods can do a lot to boost nutritional content of a packed lunch while at the same time providing an enjoyable lunch for students of all ages.
References:
http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/healthy-school-lunch-superfoods
http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/
http://www.parenting.com/gallery/nut-free-recipes
