Keep Your Child Energized with Nutrient-Packed Lunches

It is important that children eat a nutritious lunch to fuel their brains and bodies for afternoon classwork and after-school activities. Pack a nutrient-packed, delicious, and eye-appealing lunch that your child will enjoy rather than trade or throw away.

Let your child be a part of the planning. Help them pick out a fun lunch box. Bento boxes are great as you can add a variety of foods in the different compartments. Assist them in choosing the lunch foods. For example, apple or banana? Bread or crackers? When children help plan their lunches, they are more likely to eat them.

Prepare a well-balanced lunch including protein, grain, fruit, vegetable, calcium-rich food, or beverage (if not buying milk at school), and perhaps a snack or sweet item.

Check out these lunch ideas that are kid-friendly and you will feel good about:

?- Cheese and grape kabobs, whole grain crackers, baby carrots, oatmeal cookie

?- Hard-boiled eggs, whole-grain mini bagels, yogurt, pepper strips, strawberries

?- Hummus and veggie pita, clementine, yogurt, trail mix

?- Turkey, cheese, and veggie wrap, apple slices, Lara bar

?- Peanut butter and apple or banana sandwich, grape tomatoes, cheese stick, mini muffin

?- Cheese quesadilla, salsa and/or guacamole, cucumber slices, animal crackers

?- Greek yogurt, blueberries, snap peas, whole-grain cereal like Cheerios

?- Pasta salad with cheese cubes, avocado slices, plum, no-bake energy bites*

Increase or decrease the amount of food as appropriate for your child’s age. Avoid high-risk choking foods such as nuts, grapes, cheese chunks, and sticky nut butters for children up to age 4.

*Follow link to recipe by Ali:??https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/no-bake-energy-bites/

Blog Contributed by: Patti Skahan, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN