Packing lunches for your back-to-schoolers is no easy task—we know it takes time and planning. Plus, every parent knows that just because you pack it doesn’t guarantee your kids will actually eat it. However, this doesn’t mean you have to fill your kids’ lunchboxes with pizza and cookies every day. If you don’t prepare your child’s lunch far enough in advance, you run the risk of packing or buying a lunch that is loaded with extra sugar and carbs with very little nutritional value. All of this can lead to your child feeling tired and sluggish. Below are 5 tips for how to pack a nutritious lunch that your kids will look forward to eating and will make them feel great!
5 Great Tips for Packing a Healthy Lunch
-
Get Your Kids Involved
When possible, plan the night before and get your kids to help. Give them choices to help you pack their lunch. Then they will be more likely to eat it as well. Taking them grocery shopping with you and letting them have a say (to a certain extent) in what goes into the cart will give them a sense of responsibility and empowerment.
-
Make it Fun and Be Creative
Just because you’re pacing a nutritious lunch doesn’t mean you can’t offer healthier alternatives to the sweet or salty treats your child craves. You can also pack stickers, notes, and small toys to keep lunch interesting and fun. Use cookie cutters to make shapes out of bread, deli meat, cheese, or a melonballer for fruit. You can also create a theme for the day and have all of the foods in their lunch relate to the theme.
-
Make Your Own Snacks
Kids rely on snacks to keep their energy up, but the type of snack is important to consider. Packaged snacks tend to lack important nutrients and can be high in sugar and sodium. Take control of what is in your kid’s snacks by making them yourself.
-
Incorporate All Food Groups
At your kid’s doctor in Layton we know that a balanced diet includes all of the food groups. This will also help your child perform their very best while at school and while they are playing. You can use MyPlate as a visual to help. Here are some examples of choices from each food group:
- Fruits – fresh, frozen, dried, canned, or baked.
- Veggies – fresh, frozen, or baked.
- Lean Protein – Baked chicken, deli meats, hard-boiled eggs, beans, or nuts (follow any nut allergy regulations at your child’s school).
- Dairy – milk, cheese, or yogurt.
- Whole Grains – pita, sandwich bread, tortillas, and pastas.
-
Keep Your Child Hydrated
Staying hydrated is so important for your child and is often very hard to do. Hydration is critical to maintaining concentration and energy levels. It’s recommended that school-aged kids drink between 6 and 8 cups of water a day (even more in hot weather or if their activity level is high). Here are a couple of tips to help encourage hydration in your children.
- Let your child pick out their favorite water bottle and encourage them to drink the whole thing at least twice at school. They’ll be more inclined to do it if they feel like they are completing a challenge.
- If the “flavor” of water is too boring for them, add a few pieces of frozen fruit to sweeten it up and keep it cool.
- Always include fruit in their meals because of their high content of water.
As you apply the above tips to help you pack your child’s lunch, you will find that both you and your child will be happier. They will be and feel healthier, which will lead to better moods and more activity, and you will feel happy for helping encourage and improve their health. Your child’s health is so important, and starting to eat healthy food early will lead to lifelong habits that will stick around their whole lives.
Schedule an Appointment Today
Wee Care Pediatrics not only serves Davis County, but we are your kid’s doctor in Weber County as well. We understand that your child’s health and well-being are your top priority, and it’s ours as well. We would love to meet you and your child and help aid and promote your child’s health for a long time to come.
