healthy and delicious school lunches

Healthy and Delicious School Lunches

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• We all know the importance of sending our children off to school with a healthy and nourishing breakfast.

• But making sure that they have a filling and nutritious lunch will refuel them for the rest of the school day.

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• But here is where the problem may come in.• We want to pack a healthy lunch, but will our

kids eat it? • Or will they trade some items for their friend's

chocolate cupcake?

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Here are Some Suggestions


Give it Eye Appeal

• When they open up their lunch, you want it to be attractively packed, and not something they want to trade off with a classmate.

• This doesn't mean it has to be a gourmet cuisine.

• But it should at least look appetizing.


Make it Tasty

• Lunch can be boring.• There are ways to make it tasty and delicious.• First of all, make sure you are packing items

that your child likes. • Let them help pack the lunch. • They might just be more likely to eat what is

in there.


Use Dinner Leftovers

• Leftovers make very good lunches and are often more filling.

• If you had meatloaf for dinner the night before, maybe a meatloaf sandwich would be a good lunch for the next day.


Make it Healthy

• The USDA has come out with new guidelines called MyPlate.

• It is a good idea to consult this when preparing food for you family.


Make it Healthy

• Try to incorporate whole-grain breads as much as possible.

• Include fresh fruit and vegetables. • Have them cut up in bite-sized pieces so you

child will be more likely to eat them. • There's nothing wrong with a bag of chips or

cookies every so often, but trail mixes and granola bars with natural ingredients are also good dessert or snack choices.


Use Proper Containers

• There are lots of plastic sandwich containers that fit in a lunch box and keep the sandwich from getting flattened out in a paper bag.

• If you are sending fresh fruit and veggie pieces, pack them in a ziploc baggie that won't leak.


Keep it Safe

• Get an ice pack specifically designed to fit in a lunch box, and freeze it the night before.

• This will keep the food cold and safe to eat. • You don't want them eating lunchmeat that

has gotten warm over the course of the morning.

• The same goes for any other food item that must be kept cold.


What Not to Pack

• Excessive junk food• Sticky, gooey foods that make a mess and are

hard to clean off clothes• Any food items that are difficult to eat in a

school lunchroom situation


Conclusion

• We all want our children to eat healthy food. We also know that their school performance is improved when they have a nourishing breakfast and lunch.

• By including a variety of nutritious foods that are tasty and visually appealing, we will stand a better chance of our children's bodies and brains being well-fed.


healthy and delicious school lunches

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