7 Tips for Healthy Lunches Kids Will Love

Teaching kids the importance of health and nutrition is critical in this day and time of fast food. Being a P.E. teacher, I see how kids are struggling with weight issues and it is so heartbreaking. Leading by example will help your kids lead a healthy life today and in their future. I had to share this, it's from our Team Beachbody Newsletter.

 Think you're too busy? Relax. All it takes is a little planning and creativity. A healthy lunch gives kids the energy they need to finish the school day and be ready to tackle homework and after-school activities. Read on for tips on filling your child's lunchbox with healthy, tasty meals that even the most finicky kid won't be able to resist.

1. Small changes add up. If cafeteria food, prepackaged lunchables, and snack cakes are on the lunch menu of choice in your family, take heart. It is possible to steer your kids toward healthier choices, one baby step at a time. By making small, gradual changes you can give your kids a big boost of nutrients. Aim for less fat, sugar, and calories and focus on increasing fiber, protein, and calcium. The next time you fill their lunchboxes, try these simple substitutions:

   Instead of:	Substitute with:
   White bread	Whole wheat bread
   Processed lunch meat	Leftover grilled or roasted chicken or other lean meats
   Potato chips or fried snacks	Popcorn or whole-grain crackers
   Prepackaged snack cakes or cookies	Homemade cookies or muffins
   Fruit-flavored drinks or soda	Milk, water, or 100% fruit juice
2. Remember your ABCs. A well-balanced lunch should give kids about 1/3 of their daily recommended allowance for calories, vitamins, and minerals. Nutrition experts recommend filling lunch boxes with foods high in vitamins A, B, and C for optimum health. For vitamin A, pack deep-yellow or orange fruits and vegetables like cantaloupe wedges, dried apricots, or baby carrots. Foods that contain lots of vitamin Blike whole wheat crackers, peanut butter, raisins, and sunflower seeds provide essential carbs and protein. Good sources of vitamin C include half a cup of fresh citrus fruits like strawberries or pineapple along with yogurt or cheese for calcium.
3. Variety is the spice of life. If sack lunches have gotten mundane (peanut butter and jelly again?), try thinking outside the lunchbox. Offer kids a BLT or tuna salad, or fill a whole-grain bagel, pita, or tortilla with their favorite sandwich fillings. Kids also love to crunch. Instead of potato chips, try celery sticks filled with peanut butter or cream cheese and bite-size chunks of raw veggies like carrots and cucumber with low-fat dip. Make a kid-friendly homemade granola out of dried fruits, nuts, and any favored non-sugary cereal.
   For extra-picky eaters, experiment with some of their favorites by introducing a new food alongside one of their familiar standbys. Or, try offering the same food prepared in a different way. Soups, stews, pasta salad, and dinner leftovers make healthy and creative lunch options and fit perfectly in an insulated thermos. Often, kids who don't like cooked vegetables will munch on raw ones, so rotate cut-up raw veggies like carrots, celery, broccoli, and squash, and include a container of their favorite dressing for dunking.
4. Get the kids involved. Kids who have a say in the foods they eat are more likely to finish their meals and make healthier choices. And getting 'em hooked on a nutritious diet at an early age will build lifelong healthy eating habits. Encourage your kids to help with shopping, menu planning, and preparing their lunches. Ask them what they like, and if it's not healthy, brainstorm with them for healthy alternatives to their favorites. When my kids get bored with sandwiches, they ask for soup or leftover chili in a thermos, or a bean and cheese burrito, quickly assembled, cooked in the microwave, and wrapped in foil to stay hot until lunchtime—prepared while they're eating breakfast!
5. Mini is huge. Kids love any kind of food in small sizes and portions because it's fun to eat and can be consumed quickly. Experiment with mini bagels filled with cheese, lean meats, or their favorite veggies and spreads. Popular mini foods include cubed cheese with whole-grain crackers, and mini muffins. Toss seedless grapes, strawberries, and cubed melon for a mini fruit bowl. Cut whole sandwiches in quarters or jazz them up by using cookie cutters to turn bread and cheese slices into their favorite shapes and characters.
6. Personalize prepackaged foods. The prepackaged lunches and snacks at the grocery store are designed to appeal to kids, but they are pricey and often loaded with extra fat, calories, and sodium. Compromise by offering your kids an assortment of food and let them assemble and personalize meals by themselves; their choices can include things like multigrain crackers, lean meats, cheeses, and an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables. For a healthier version of a personal pizza, pack separately an English muffin, shredded cheese, and tomato sauce. Kids will like the control they have as they recreate their own version of the store brands at a lower cost and higher nutritional value.
7. Handle with care. Pack school lunches in insulated lunch bags, which are sturdier than metal lunchboxes and paper bags and are better at maintaining temperature control. Be sure to include a freezer pack to keep perishable foods like meat and dairy from spoiling. Some lunch bags even come with separate compartments designed to keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. Use a thermos for hot foods like leftover spaghetti, soups, or even stir-fry. One final tip? Freeze your child's water bottle and put it in their lunchbox in the morning. It will double as an ice pack and be thawed by lunchtime.

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