Does your child get much needed nutrition from his bag lunch? While it's tempting to go the convenience route when packing your child's school lunches, experts say taking a few minutes to provide nutritious food and snacks for your child's lunch will go a long way to improve their overall health.
Taking the time…
If you lead a busy lifestyle, it's easy to fall into the convenience food trap. But with a little planning, you don't have to sacrifice healthy for convenient. Here are some tips to provide your child with healthy lunches that are quick and convenient
A Little Planning Goes a Long way
The first step in getting your child to eat better at lunch is planning. Even the pickiest eater likes a wider variety of food than you think. Write down all the foods your child likes, not just traditional lunch-type food, but everything. Even though some of the foods on your list may seem a little unconventional for lunch, the main concerns are nutritional value and whether your child likes them.
Keep it Simple
Tempting though it may be to fancy up food to get kids to eat better, most kids are reluctant to try unfamiliar, strange-looking food. Forget the raisin faces pressed into cheese. Believe it or not, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches provide lots of protein and the fat content is lower than most processed
lunch meats.
Got a kid who balks at eating veggies? Most kids like at least one vegetable that can be eaten raw. Even though it may seem unconventional to eat, say, cut up tomatoes for lunch, if your kid likes tomatoes, they are a lot better for them than a bag of chips.
The Big Sacrifice
Believe it or not, you don't have to sacrifice nutritious for convenience. Though a sandwich, twinkie and bag of chips may sound like the ultimate in convenience, providing a more nutritious lunch only takes minutes if you prepare in advance.
If your child will only eat cucumbers and baby carrots, cut up enough for a whole week and place the portions in small Ziplock bags. Instead of buying those expensive, sugar-laden drink boxes, stir up a gallon pitcher of sugar-free drink mix and fill your kid's thermos the night before and place it in the fridge. It will be better for them and less expensive to boot.
A Little Unconventional
Who says a sandwich is the only thing your child can eat for lunch? Surprise them with their favorite deli meat and cheese. Or, if your child likes crackers, add some peanut butter, meat spreads or cheese for a quick and easy change of pace.
If your child likes cream cheese or cottage cheese, spoon some into a small zip lock bag (they'll love squishing it!) and pack some celery sticks for dipping. Substitute dry cereal or pretzels for chips and fruit or a granola bar for cookies and other sweets. It will significantly lower the junk content and add needed vitamins and minerals.
With busy lives and families constantly on the go, it's easy to fall into the convenience food trap when planning your child's school lunches. But with just a few minutes planning and preparation, your child *can* eat healthier and form good eating habits that will follow them the rest of their lives.
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