A+ school lunches & snacks
You ask your kiddos to try their best every day at school. Packing the right lunch, or snacks, can give them the energy they need to be successful.
University Health registered dietitian Shelley Slavens has been helping patients make healthy choices for years. Every back-to-school season, she recommends packing a lean protein, complex carbohydrate and fruit or vegetable into your child’s lunchbox. But let’s face it, kids want their lunches to be fun, too. Don’t worry, Slavens has tips for that, too!
Make it look good. Slavens recommends cutting up fruits or vegetables to create a colorful kabob (use a straw rather than a sharp skewer).
Create your own “uncrustable.” Kids are notorious for leaving crusts on their plates. Grab two pieces of whole wheat bread, a round cookie cutter and some fun ingredients to make your own crustless sandwich to-go. Slavens says the internet offers excellent ingredient combinations. We think a mix of Greek yogurt spread, thinly cut pears and a drizzle of honey sounds delicious!
Give your child a say. Letting them pick everything that goes in their lunch box might not be a good idea, but Slavens suggests parents pick one item and children pick another.
Keep count. The goal is to avoid processed foods, but any parent knows that convenience counts, especially when the bus is waiting. Slavens suggests checking packaging when choosing a prepared food or snack, and picking those that have five ingredients or less.
Need more snack ideas? Here are some yummy combinations of carbohydrate-rich foods, plus protein, from the Pediatric Nutrition Care Manual:
- 1 oz. beef jerky, 1 oz. dried pineapple, ½ cup ready-to-eat cereal
- 1 cup low-fat chocolate milk, 8 graham crackers
- 12 whole wheat tortilla chips, ½ cup black bean and corn salsa
- 1 oz. pretzels, 1 oz. raisins
- Smoothie made with 3/4 cup low-fat yogurt, 1 small banana, ½ cup low-fat milk
- 6 wheat crackers, 1/3 cup tuna salad
- 2 tbsp. hummus, 1 cup raw veggies (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower)
- 1 medium orange, 1 hard-boiled egg