PrintBy Melssa Neiman
eDiets Contributor
Hello, school year! That’s right. The fun-filled days of summer are behind us, and it’s time once again for books, backpacks, and perhaps our favorite back-to-school item here at eDiets – lunch sacks.
As a parent or guardian, there are only so many factors you can control in your child’s school day. You can’t choose his friends, classes or teachers, and you certainly can’t take his tests for him.
But you can arm your son (or daughter) with one tool that will give him the focus and energy he needs to excel both physically and academically throughout the school day — a nutritious lunch.
It sounds simple enough, right? But here’s where it gets kind of tricky. You want to pack foods that you know your child is sure to eat, and children – especially younger ones with unrefined palates – often gravitate toward foods that are, shall we say, less than healthful.
You may think that you’re doing your kiddo a favor by filling his lunch sack with his favorite “junk foods.” But aside from being unhealthy, processed, fried and sugar-laden foods can cause a spike in your child’s blood sugar, followed by – you guessed it – drowsiness. The translation? Poor lunch choices may cause little Johnny to fall asleep at his desk instead of taking notes for the upcoming math test.
Which foods are the worst offenders? According to eDiets Director of Nutrition Pamela Ofstein, you should try to steer clear of the following foods when packing a school lunch:
• Artificial juices or drinks
• Candy
• Cookies and other snacks that contain hydrogenated oils
• Fried chips
• High sugar cereals as snacks
Replacing junk foods with healthier fare may seem challenging at first, but give it a shot anyway. Kids will typically try any food — as long as you make it fun. Introducing your child to foods that are delicious and nutritious is one of the best lessons you can teach as a parent.
“When it comes to packing lunch with kids, it is all about color, shape, variety and participation” says Pam. For little ones, this may mean cutting sandwiches into the shape of dinosaurs. Older children may enjoy helping parents brainstorm healthy items to add to their lunch box.
Pam’s top picks for a nutritious school lunch include:
• Cheese sticks
• Cut up fruit
• Dried fruit and nut mix (as long as your child isn’t allergic!)
• Veggies with low fat dip
• Yogurt
• Whole wheat crackers with cheese
• Sandwiches with lean meat on whole grain bread
You can also try packing healthier versions of your child’s favorite not-so-good-for-you foods. For example, if he simply has to have chips with lunch, choose baked ones over the fried variety.
Adding a healthy snack (e.g., banana, granola bar, small bag of trail mix) to your child’s backpack is another smart strategy to keep hunger at bay (and energy levels soaring!) during the school day. This is especially important if your kiddo has access to vending machines that are chock full of candy, cookies, fried chips and soda!
And finally, help keep your child’s good nutrition on track when he gets home from school by providing a healthy snack, such as an apple with peanut butter, low-fat chocolate pudding or baked chips with salsa or bean dip.
Some after school snacks you probably want to avoid:
• Doughnuts
• Fudge
• French fries
• Pork rinds
• Loaded nachos
• Processed cheese straight from the can
Remember, it’s okay (and inevitable!) for your child to consume junk food on occasion. After all, such foods can be very tempting, and he faces a lifetime of Halloweens, birthday parties and other special events.
Just remember that moderation is key, and do your best to make sure poor food choices aren’t a daily occurrence that affects your child’s health and education!
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