It's that time again. When late summer ushers in the last concert on the beach, anticipation builds for the fall reality TV lineup, and parents feel the stress of arranging extracurricular activities, coordinating carpool schedules and making sure their children have the best school year ever.
With all this hustle-n-bustle, it's easy to take for granted one school-day must-have: the nutritious, delicious lunch. That's right, a nutritious AND delicious student lunch. It's not an urban legend.
Emily Parker, a registered dietitian at Torrance Memorial Medical Center, says there's no better time than back-to-school season to start fresh-literally-and prep all-natural, delectable, nourishing and preservative-free lunches that kids of any age, from tot to teen, will actually eat. After all, there's nothing more deflating than seeing those perfectly blanched, beautifully bright green broccoli florets making their way back home in the lunchbox. Untouched.
"The real key to getting kids to eat the healthy lunches you're packing for them is to get their input on what goes in," Parker says. "Talk about lunch options and ask them what nutritious foods they'll enjoy."
A discussion may just lay the groundwork. If you need to get creative from there, do. Consider holding a recipe competition, where siblings or friends compete to make the tastiest, healthiest snack. Or take the kids grocery shopping on a day when you've got lots of time and patience, and they've got an interest in helping pick smart options.
Including kids in the lunch-planning and packing process teaches valuable lessons in planning ahead, label-reading/portion sizes and how to be in control of their health. Just be sure lunch prep happens with you and when the kids are not hungry. Snacking on these tasty foods can be tempting, so Parker suggests making lunch after you've already eaten, say on Sunday evening after dinner.
Yes, preparing ahead of time keeps school mornings from becoming maddeningly busier. Parker sets out a bag for each day of the week on Sunday night. In each bag she puts one day's worth of napkins, utensils, fruit, certain pre-cut veggies, dairy foods, nuts and any other food that will hold up in the refrigerator. When she pulls out a lunch bag each morning, she tops it off with a fresh salad, wrap, sandwich, etc. She also pre-makes and freezes sandwiches (PB&J and meat/cheese sandwiches can be packed frozen and thawed by lunch) and fruit like berries or grapes.
If you're planning ahead, you'll also likely be more inclined to think beyond the basic (and often boring) sandwich. Mix it up with make-ahead pasta salads, wraps and fun foods. (Remember Ants on a Log from your school days?)
If you're still feeling stuck when it comes to thinking outside the traditional lunchbox, you can't go wrong choosing foods that are close to their natural state, Parker says. "Use whole fruit instead of fruit juice, sprouted wheat berry bread instead of white bread, baked chicken instead of processed meat when possible. Teach older kids to read ingredient lists and choose foods with fewer ingredients, or ingredients you recognize. Remember, the most nutritious foods do not have nutrition panels."
Organic is the best option, although any fruits, veggies and whole grains are better than none, Parker concedes. (Just be sure to give all produce a good scrub.)
Think healthy eating requires a hefty pocketbook? Not necessarily. Parker watches for sales, is open to buying the store brand (just be cognizant of the ingredient labels), uses online and newspaper coupons and grocery club cards, and she only buys what she knows she will eat for the next week. She also recommends the 99 Cent Store, Wal-Mart and Big Lots-all stock healthy, cost-efficient options.
Parker reminds parents that, especially during the first and last warm months of school, dairy foods, egg products (including mayonnaise), meats, fish, poultry, fresh pre-cut fruits and veggies, and mixed dishes (like pasta or rice) all need to stay cooler than 40 degrees to avoid food-borne illness.
But you've got this covered. This is when those sandwiches and fruit slices you prepared and froze last weekend really come in handy. They can be used to keep items in the lunch sack cool; by mealtime they'll be nice and thawed, and the rest of your food will be chilled just so. And if you haven't done your weekly lunch prep, just place a reusable ice pack in a thermal lunch bag and toss it into your child's backpack.
Lunch Menus That'll Get Motors Running
In the "most important meal of the day" textbook, breakfast gets an A-plus-plus. But don't underestimate the power of lunchtime, when kids really need to refuel. Here, dietitian Emily Parker shares two menus for your school-aged charge that are more likely to be happily scarfed, instead of traded or trashed.
"I recommend a morning and afternoon snack for younger kids, plus a main lunch meal. For middle- and high-schoolers, it's often easier to pack smaller snacks to eat throughout the day between classes," she says. "Either way, the best choices include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, beans or lentils, nuts, seeds, low-fat or fat-free dairy and, of course, plenty of water."
MENU FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN:
MORNING SNACK
• ½ cup grapes or strawberries plus 4 ounces fat-free Greek yogurt (i.e. Chobani Champions*) or ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese
LUNCH
• ½ cup pre-cut carrots and/or sugar snap peas with Yogurt Dip (made by combining 2 cups fat-free plain Greek yogurt with ¼ cup fat-free milk and 1 packet "Simply Organic" Italian salad dressing mix. Be sure to keep cold.) You can substitute 1 tablespoon gluten-free (confirm on label) hummus* in place of Yogurt Dip.
• 1 ounce reduced-fat cheddar cheese, cut into game-dice squares (can be packed ahead and frozen)
• 2 ounces turkey deli meat (nitrate/nitrite-free Hormel Natural Choice*) cut into small pieces (can be packed ahead and frozen)
• 15-20 Kashi TLC Crackers (or brown-rice crackers*)
• 1 orange, cut into wedges or peeled and separated into wedges (prep night before or day of)
• 1 small cookie (oatmeal raisin or a gluten-free brand of your choice) or 1 piece dark chocolate (Ghirardelli 60% Cocoa Dark Chocolate)
AFTERNOON SNACK
• Ants on a Log (Two 3-inch pieces of celery with a thin layer of natural peanut butter topped with a few raisins; prep night before or day of)
OR
• ½ cup whole grain cereal (or Rice Chex*) mixed with 1 tablespoon dried fruit (raisins, craisins, dried blueberries) and 2 teaspoons nuts (peanuts, soy nuts, almonds, walnuts, etc.) and 1 teaspoon mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand is also dairy-free*)
MENU FOR OLDER CHILDREN/TEENS:
MINI-MEAL ONE
• Mini whole-wheat bagel or sandwich thin (or brown rice cake*) with 1 tablespoon peanut butter and 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 small banana
MINI-MEAL TWO
• Low-fat string cheese (OK out of refrigeration up to one day; Kraft and Trader Joe's brands*)
• 15 Kashi TLC Crackers (or 5 pieces Ak Mak Crackers or brown rice cracker*)
• 10 grape tomatoes
MINI-MEAL THREE
• 8 ounces Horizon Organic Low-fat Milk (boxed, shelf-stable)
• 1 cup whole-grain cereal (or Rice Chex*) mixed with 2 tablespoons dried fruit and 1 tablespoon nuts plus 1 teaspoon mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand is also dairy-free*)
MINI-MEAL FOUR
• ½ cup Whole Foods Veggie Chips (found in bulk bins; or Root Vegetable Chips*) OR ½ cup Trader Joe's Wasabi Peas
• 1 apple or other fresh fruit
IMPORTANT NOTES:
* Denotes gluten-free.
Milk allergies? Substitute soy for dairy, look for vegan cookies and sub in dark-chocolate chips for semi-sweet in the afternoon cereal snack. Parker likes Trader Joe's online list of their gluten- and dairy-free items; print and take on your next shopping trip.
Peanut allergies, or your school's in a peanut-free zone? Choose almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, etc., for nut snacks and consider the numerous types of other nut butters on store shelves.
Snacks for Mom's and Dad's Lunch Bags
• Whole-wheat pita and hummus
• Whole-grain tortillas for wraps (Peanut Butter Banana Honey Roll-Up-made just like it sounds, in a tortilla, is sticky-finger-licking-good for kids and grownups)
• Trail mix packets
• Seaweed snacks-yes, really!
• Baked chips (Trader Joe's or Kettle brand)
• 100% dried fruit leathers
• Leftover thin-crust or whole-wheat crust veggie pizza
• Unsweetened applesauce cups