Back to School Nutrition

Author: Kim Minogue MS, RD, LDN

Back to school means back to packing lunches for most of us. What to pack and how much to pack are the never ending questions! Below are some tips to consider when packing lunch for your child:

• • How much time do they have to eat? Most of the children I see complain lunch time is too short. you may find they do better with one main dish they can focus on and a drink, rather then overwhelming them with too many options

• • What is your child’s personality like? Some of the children I work with are having those Bento box style lunches, which can work well for some children but not others. If you have a “talker” or maybe an anxious child, they might do better with again a main dish, 1 snack and a drink, s as not to overwhelm them

• • Will it stay cold/hot? I have heard that even with the best stainless steel thermoses, when your child has last lunches in particular the temperatures may not be what you are hoping. Lunches should always have an icepack, even with an insulated bag. You could put in a frozen water bottle as well to keep things cool. For hot foods fill the thermos with boiling water for10 minutes prior to filling it with food, and heat the food hotter then normal before putting it in.

• • How much food should you pack? In general a lunch should include a main dish that has a source of protein (chicken, turkey, ham, eggs, cheese) and starch (bread, pasta, rice, roll up, crackers), a fruit or veggie or both depending on time, 1 snack food, for crunch/fun, and 1 dairy food (milk to drink or a yogurt, or cheese on sandwich). Variations to this depend on whether your child is very active, if they need extra starches for sports, if they aren’t tolerating meal food at school and maybe could use snack at school and meal afterschool

• • Has your child had enough fiber? Fiber comes from fruits, veg, and certain grain products. Fiber is an important part of helping your child stay full. A good rule of thumb for fiber is your child needs their age plus five more grams. A typical fruit or veggie provides 2 gm fiber per serving. Half of your child’s grains/starches for the day should be what we call whole grains. Some examples are: 100% whole wheat products, oatmeal, barley, popcorn, bulgur, brown rice. For more ideas check out:www.choosemyplate.gov/grains-tips

• • Keep in mind what they will have for remainder of the day: By the time they get home from school they should pretty much have consumed 2/3 of their intake for the day. If lunch is a struggle maybe you can bulk up the breakfast or the dinner to meet the rest of their needs. To see generalized nutrition needs for your child’s age including how many times daily to offer fruits, veg, dairy foods, etc. check out: www.choosemyplate.gov.

DIY LUNCH ABLE IDEAS:

• Protein Rich Foods:

  • Turkey, roast beef, or ham rolled up

  • Turkey, roast beef, or ham cut into squares for a DIY “Lunchable”

  • Deli meat slices in le􀆩 uce wraps

  • Cheese cubes or string cheese

  • Hummus & pita

  • Hard-boiled eggs

  • Sushi

  • Salami & cheese rolled up together

  • Cottage cheese with fruit

  • Yogurt

  • Chicken salad with whole grain crackers

  • Egg salad sandwiches

  • Mini-quesadilla

  • Tuna sandwiches

  • Taco fixings/Burritos

  • Egg Frittatas

  • Nuts

  • Left over pork or rotisserie chicken

  • Sun Butter on a tortilla

  Individual nut bu􀆩 er packets

  • Cold pizza

  • Peanut Butter “Burritos” (peanut butter on a tortilla, topped with fruit and rolled like a burrito)

  • Black bean dip

  • Chicken nuggets

  • Grilled cheese

  • Quinoa salad

• Grains:

  • Mini bagels

  • Pita pockets

  • Whole grain crackers

  • Cold soba noodle salad

  • Cold pasta salad (bow􀆟 e pasta + veggies + Italian dressing)

  • Mini pancakes spread with nut butter

  • Mini pizzas (English muffin + pepperoni + cheese)

  • Rice cakes

  • French toast

• Fruit:

  • Grapes (fresh or frozen)

  • Strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries

  • Mandarin oranges

  • Sliced oranges

  • Pears (fresh or canned)

  • Melon like cantaloupe & watermelon

  • Frozen smoothies in squeeze pouches

  • Applesauce pouches

  • Dried fruit such as raisins

  • Frozen fruit (thawed by lunch􀆟time)

  • Freeze-dried fruit

• Veggies:

  • Celery with peanut butter and raisins

  • Rainbow carrots

  • Sweet bell peppers

  • Black olives

  • Edamame

  • Snap Peas

  • Grape Tomatoes

  • Sweet Potatoes

  • Pickles

  • Side Salad

  • Frozen peas

  • Cucumbers & hummus

• Savory Snacks:

  • Pita chips

  • Chips & salsa

  • Pretzels

  • Seaweed snacks

  • Popcorn

  • Trail mix

  • Jerky

  • Sunfl ower or pumpkin seeds

  • Blue corn chips

  • Individual cups of guacamole

  • Rice crackers

• Fun Foods:

  • No-bake peanut bu􀆩 er energy balls

  • Fortune cookie

  • Homemade muffi ns

  • Waffl es with cream cheese

  • Small piece of chocolate

  • Granola bars

  • Yogurt-cream cheese dip for fruit

  • Banana chips

  • Boxes of chocolate or vanilla milk

  • Yogurt covered raisins

  • Graham crackers

  • Homemade pudding