How do I make healthy lunches for my children at home?
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Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics answered:Keep these healthy tips in mind when making lunch for kids at home:
- Involve your child in the menu. Having kids take part in choosing ingredients and planning dishes is a great way to teach them about making healthy food choices.
- Emphasize fruits, veggies and whole grains. On average, kids don't eat enough of these foods. Use this time to get your child excited about new foods, but remember it can take several tries before a child warms up to a new taste.
- Pick beverages wisely. One can of soda contains 9 to12 teaspoons of sugar. Serve lunch with low-fat milk, 100-percent juice or water.
- Watch the fat content. Fat and cholesterol aren't just a problem for adults. Read labels and make low-fat, low-cholesterol options for your school-age child, too.
Keep these healthy tips in mind when making lunch for kids at home: Involve your child in the menu. Having kids take part in choosing ingredients and planning dishes is a great way to teach them about making healthy food choices.... More -
Here are several healthy suggestions for packing a kid friendly lunch box:
- Make sandwiches with whole-grain bread. Try a whole-grain wrap or tortilla to add variety.
- Pack fruits and vegetables. Celery sticks, carrots, and cucumbers add a crunchy element to lunch. Include low-fat ranch dressing or hummus to encourage your child to eat more vegetables. Apples, oranges, and grapes are all kid friendly and provide a bit of sweetness.
- Add lean protein. Meat or tofu, cottage cheese, hard-boiled eggs, and low-fat cheese sticks are all good sources of lean protein.
- Drink water or low-fat milk. Juice made from 100 percent fruit isn't bad, but it should be limited to no more than four ounces per day.
- Let your kids help pack their lunch - choosing from mom-approved options. When kids have a say in what goes into their lunch, they will be more apt to eat what is packed.
Here are several healthy suggestions for packing a kid friendly lunch box: Make sandwiches with whole-grain bread. Try a whole-grain wrap or tortilla to add variety. Pack fruits and vegetables. Celery sticks, carrots, and cucumbers... More -
Joan Salge Blake of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics answered:Let's face it, at the end of the school day, when you remove your child's lunch bag and find that not one tiny morsel was eaten, you probably don't know whether to scream or cry. You want to scream because all your good efforts seem to pack a healthy lunch are for naught. You want to cry because you know that your ravenous child hasn't eaten since 7:30am, and it's now 3:30pm.
When negotiating what to pack for school lunch, follow my ABCs:
Ask your child what he or she wants for lunch.
Be firm and make sure that the majority of it is healthy.
Compromise a smidgen in the supermarket.
Make sure that the lunch includes some protein (turkey, peanut butter) whole grains (bread, crackers), a piece of fruit, and money for low fat milk. A dessert if also fine as long as the portions are small and the rest of the meal is eaten!
Let's face it, at the end of the school day, when you remove your child's lunch bag and find that not one tiny morsel was eaten, you probably don't know whether to scream or cry. You want to scream because all your good efforts seem to pack a... More
