With only weeks to go, now is a good time to start thinking about what you will be packing in your kids’ lunches. As parents, we want to make sure that our kids are eating the most nutritious foods, but in a busy world, achieving this is sometimes easier said than done, and so we look for simple lunch solutions for our kids.
Some companies put together pre-made lunch kits. Convenient, yes, but these kits are often not a healthy choice. One kit I looked at this weekend contained a whopping 1,940 mg of sodium, well above the daily maximum recommended for young children (1,200 mg). And with only one gram of fiber, this meal won’t go far toward meeting many of your child’s dietary needs.
Here are some tips to help you get ready for lunch packing:
· Prepare and organize school lunches for the entire week on Sunday.
· Ask your children to help out – let them choose favorite fruits, veggies, and sandwich ingredients. Assign them the role of assistant chef.
· Pick fun foods – if kids can squirt it, dip it, or sip it, they are more likely to love it.
· Use the rainbow approach – make meals healthy by including veggies of differing colors.
· Remember fresh is best – try to limit prepackaged foods, and include plenty of raw veggies.
Kids want some fun stuff in their lunches, too. Instead of M&Ms, try dried fruit, popcorn, whole grain crackers, granola, and homemade muffins.
Interested in a week long meal plan? Contact me at paula@myvillagegreen.com.
Happy packing!
