Fueling Your Kids for Success- The Perfect School Lunch

It’s that time again. Back to school shopping, brisk fall mornings, and streets filled with school buses. Ready or not, the kids are going back. The most frequent question I get from parents is which foods they should send with their children for lunch. Your child’s nutrition plays a key role in their academic success, performance in athletics, even their behavior and energy levels.

                  

Your child’s lunch should have the following components: a main course (healthy proteins, carbohydrates and fats), a serving of fruit, a serving of vegetables, a serving of low fat dairy (or dairy alternative if your child has a milk allergy), and a “fun” item. Now let’s break each of these down and give you a few choices.

                 

The main course - This is the “bulk” of your child’s lunch. It needs to have whole grain carbohydrates for energy, lean proteins to keep hunger pains away, and healthy fats for proper growth and development. 

For the carbohydrate, think whole grain breads, pitas, crackers, cereals or wraps (first ingredient listed should be “whole grain” look for ones without “hydrogenated oils”, the key word for trans fats). Leftover brown rice, whole grain pasta, cooked yams or potatoes also can make great options (make sure your child likes the item cold or has the ability to heat them up). Feeling adventurous? Whole grain frozen waffles can serve as a fun substitute for bread. 

For the lean protein, stick with turkey, low fat ham, chicken, tuna or lean roast beef. When using deli meats, look for ones low in sodium and preferably “nitrate free”. Cooking your own is safest, but that’s not always an option. If your child is not a big meat eater, send a hard-boiled egg, peanut butter, or hummus. All are high in protein, and also have healthy fats. If you choose to include these items, don’t worry about sending another source of good fats, but if not, use avocado, low fat mayonnaise (preferably made with olive oil), reduced fat cheese, or a small serving of nuts. (Make sure to check your school’s “nut policy”. Due to allergies, many schools are banning nuts and nut butters. If this is the case, sunflower seed butter or Tahini can be good replacements).

                  

Fruit and veggie sides - This is the component too many parents leave out. Make sure to send your child with items you know they’ll eat. This is not the time to introduce your child to new foods-save that for meals at home or you may end up with more waste than you bargained for (broccoli anyone?). Sliced carrots, celery, snap peas and cucumbers travel well. Including fun dips can make eating veggies easier. Think low fat ranch, hummus, or natural peanut butter. 

Pack fruits that won’t bruise easily. Apples, oranges (as long as your child can peel them), sliced peaches or pears (packed in Tupperware), and grapes work well. Once again, find a fruit your child enjoys or you’ll find it still in their lunchbox after school. For smaller children, make sure their fruits and veggies are in bite sizes that will be easy to consume. 

                  

Dairy - Calcium and Vitamin D are necessary nutrients for growing children and dairy products are a great source. Make sure the serving of dairy you send with your child is not a sugar bomb. Low fat yogurt, cottage cheese or milk are good options as are reduced-fat cheese sticks (these also include muscle building protein). 

If your child is lactose intolerant or has a milk allergy, consider soy, almond, coconut or rice milk products. Choose an item that is lower in sugar, does not contain any hydrogenated oils, and is the correct portion size (1 cup milk, 6-8 oz. yogurt, ½ cup cottage cheese, 1 cheese stick, etc.). Consider flavoring your yogurt and/or cottage cheese yourself with fruit or a teaspoon of honey to avoid excess sugars.

                  

While you want to send your children with healthy lunches, you do not want to deprive them of all “treats”. Teach them about moderation and portion sizes and help create a healthy relationship with food. Remember, there are not "good" or "bad" foods, just those we should consume "all the time" and those we should only include "some of the time". 

In lunches, allow them to choose one small “fun” item a day. Try to make a healthier choice (baked chips or pretzels, homemade cookies, dried fruits without added sugars, or sugar-free pudding/Jell-O cups). Watch out for sugary children’s drinks. Capri Suns, Sunny D, and Regular Kool-Aid will leave your child with a sugar high, then send them crashing down once class begins. Stick with water, low fat milk, or sugar free beverages (Crystal Light, G2, etc.). 100% juice in a 4-6 oz. portion can also be a good option.

                  

A discussion about children’s lunches would not be complete without including food safety. Gone are the days where you threw a mayonnaise-laden sandwich in a brown paper sack and called it good. Find a well-insulated lunch container and an ice pack that will last at least four hours. Make sure the ice pack is in the top of the cooler as cold air will travel downward. Consider freezing items that can be frozen. They will thaw throughout the day and keep the other foods colder. Be especially careful of things like mayonnaise, meats, eggs, and dairy (place them closet to the ice pack). They now make fun "bento box" type lunch pails for children that have separate compartments for the various meal components. Kids love having smaller portions of multiple items.

Remember that children "eat first with their eyes". Cutting their fruits and veggies into fun shapes, rolling up their meats, cubing their cheeses and using foods of different colors can increase the chances that your child will consume the items you pack. Include a small note or picture to make their lunch time extra special.

Keep your kids performing their best this school year with nutrient-packed lunches.  For some of my favorite “kid approved” recipes, see Tosca Reno’s “Clean Eating Family and Kids” or Devin Alexander’s “Biggest Loser Family Cookbook”.  Parents can benefit from these lunch “rules” as well. Set a good example for your children by packing your lunch to work instead of grabbing take out. Not only will you save money, but also excess salt, sugar, and calories. Here’s to a happy, healthy school year!