Pack to School
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” – Chinese Proverb
From preschool through high school and on to college and career, we have a great opportunity when it comes to eating well. Good nutrition and healthy food choices can literally make or break our day. When we skip breakfast, we rob our bodies and brains of the fuel we need to focus and maintain a steady blood sugar. So first and foremost, do whatever it takes to eat breakfast. Let’s teach our kids how to feed themselves well now so that they have the tools to create a lifetime of healthy habits. Help kids view healthy eating as a fun part of every day! Teachers also love it when their students eat a well-balanced lunch – they see how it shows up in the classroom in a big way.
One thing we can do as a family is sit down on a Sunday night and create the lunch menu for the week. This sets the tone for greatness. It makes for a great family ritual and it helps save time during the week when the rush to get ready for school leaves little time for creativity in the lunchbox. Enroll kids in the idea of healthy eating by involving them in the decision process and teaching them how to make good choices. Talk about portions and healthy serving sizes. Read nutrition labels together and teach children how clever packaging can actually disguise junk food. Stay away from those foods that contain ingredients that you can’t even pronounce. Use smaller containers for treats and larger ones for fruits and veggies.
Think balance and variety. Look at ratios of protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, and sugar. It is sometimes astounding to read the amount of sugar grams listed in popular children’s snacks, flavored milks, yogurt, juice, and of course cookies and soda pop. We don’t want to overload our kids on protein either. The Atkins diet may work for us but our kids need carbohydrates (and healthy fats) for their active growing bodies and thinking brains!
Don’t be afraid to pack fresh fruit and vegetables. Carrot and celery sticks, sliced bell peppers (all the different colors), salad, snap peas, cherry tomatoes – these are all very portable and kid-friendly. Apples (whole or sliced), berries, plums, peaches (wash the fuzz off for sure!), apricots – these all pack fairly well. A few drops of lemon juice will keep them fresh. You can make a great fruit dip with a little yogurt or a veggie dip with a little pureed cottage cheese mixed with a little bit of Ranch dressing.
We need not load the lunch box with junk food to make it fun. Sneak in a love note. Whole wheat pretzels, fruit, lowfat granola bars, “squeezy” yogurt, applesauce, or a little bit of trail mix are great treats. Our kids will not suffer from a cookie or chocolate deficiency if it doesn’t appear in their lunch bags. So get packing. Enjoy the process. Make it a family affair and be creative.
September 20, 2009
by Optimum WellnessComments
Leave a Reply
