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!

                  

Keeping Your Kids Healthy and Active This Summer

While we celebrate the warmer temperatures, longer days, and fun summer activities, we also have to think about what children are up to during the day. The lack of structured recess and P.E. combined with less-than-stellar summer snacks can leave some children with unnecessary summer weight gain. The Center for Disease Control states that more than one-third of children and adolescents are now overweight and obese. This statistic is both alarming and saddening. The truth is obesity is preventable. Take the time to ensure your children stay active and make healthy food choices this summer.

The outdoors are full of summer activities for kids and families to enjoy. Pack a healthy lunch and head down to a local park. Spend the day at a city pool for a family swim or sign your children up for swimming lessons. Ride bikes along walking/riding paths (as available in your area). Most areas offer an array of summer camps- athletics, arts, dance, exploration etc. Make sure to take advantage of these active, enriching activities.  

If you want to increase your child’s activity within the comfort of your own home, consider letting them run through the sprinklers, setting up an outdoor obstacle course or designing a scavenger hunt for household items. Buying an inexpensive heart monitor is a great idea for older children. They’ll enjoy trying to keep their heart rates within a certain range.  Be sure to set a time limit on the use of electronics (TV, video games, computer, etc.) and provide incentives for your child to “move” more. Can’t seem to pry your children away? Consider purchasing a Nintendo Wii, or Xbox-Kinect, game systems that involve the use of body motion. 

Remember to never use food as a reward or talk about your child’s weight around them. This can lead to an unhealthy relationship with nutrition and exercise. Instead, lead by example. Practice a healthy, active lifestyle yourself, and explain to your children the benefits of sitting less and moving more. It is never too early to introduce your children to physical activity and to instill habits that will last a lifetime.

Hot summer days bring out the popsicles, ice cream, ice-cold Kool-Aid and Slurpees. You do not need to ban these items from the house. Instead, teach your children that there are “sometimes” foods and “all the time” foods. Sometimes foods are higher in sugar, fat, and calories and should be eaten in moderation. “All the time” foods are nutritious and should make up the bulk of their diet. Depriving your children or planting the idea of “good food” /“bad food” in their minds can lead to disordered eating practices later in life. Make sure you introduce many different, nutritious foods at a young age. Enforce a “one-bite” policy; that is, they must take at least one bite of the food you serve them, if they dislike it, they do not have to finish it. Most children are good at monitoring their hunger signals, meaning they know when they’re hungry and when they’ve had enough. Being a member of the “clean plate club” in not necessary.

Having trouble getting your child to eat their fruits and vegetables? Consider growing a garden or taking a trip to a “you-pick” farm. Getting them involved in the growing and harvesting process will make them more willing to try the “fruits of their labor”. Don’t fret if your child still is not a fan, keep introducing them in different ways, or even working them into their favorite foods (e.g. green peppers in spaghetti sauce, pureed butternut squash in macaroni and cheese, the options are endless.).

I’ll leave you with some “simple summer snack swaps.”  Keeping these items in the house and ready to grab on a hot day can save you and your children hundreds of calories, not to mention a sugar rush.

• Replace sugary drinks (Capri Sun, Kool Aid, Sunny D) with sugar-free Crystal Light or low calorie lemonade. Be careful of “fruit juices” -- they can be packed with sugar.
• Buy low calorie versions of popsicles (kids won’t know the difference!).  Better yet, make your own popsicles with healthy fruit, Crystal Light, or low fat yogurt.
• Replace chips, pretzels, and other “nutritionally empty” foods with fruits and vegetables. Have them cut up and accessible so children are more likely to grab them. Consider serving them with natural peanut butter, hummus, or yogurt dips.
• Instead of fruit snacks, try frozen grapes. They’re refreshing and lower in unhealthy sugars and artificial ingredients. 
• Ensure your children are consuming enough protein. Convenient summer foods are often nutritionally void carbohydrates. Add low fat dairy products, lean meats, and hard boiled eggs to your shopping list. 

Summer is a time for relaxation and rejuvenation, but don’t forget to remain active and focus on making healthy food choices. Together we can prevent and even help stop childhood obesity. Here’s to a safe, happy, and healthy summer.