Healthy Brown Bag Ideas for Kids' Lunches
Posted: Monday, January 24, 2011
by Jamie Jefferson
http://www.momscape.com
Your children's school lunches have to fuel them all afternoon. Here are some ideas for making that brown bag lunch healthy, without losing the 'yum' factor.
1. Think beyond the sandwich. When my youngest child (who is also my pickiest eater) started grade school, he would always bring home his sandwich without ever having taken a bite. My daughters both loved sandwiches of all types, so we tried everything with my son -- all kinds of different sandwich fillings, from cheese to turkey, ham, roast beef, peanut butter & jelly; we tried crust and no crust, all to no avail. But when we started simply packing items separately, he started gobbling it all up.
If your kid – like mine – doesn't love sandwiches, try cold cuts with crackers (like making your own Lunchables), or try tortilla wraps or pitas. Pack some of last night's leftovers in a microwavable container. Or pour some hot soup in a Thermos.
2. A mental checklist might be helpful. When you're packing your kids' lunches, aim to include at least one protein, one whole grain, one serving of fruit, another of veggie. And one (little) treat.
3. Let them do it themselves. By the older elementary grades, kids can start to pack their own lunches, under your watchful eye, of course. It's fun to see them engage in the process, and it allows them to make their own healthy choices.
4. Freeze the yogurt. My kids love the single-serving tubes of yogurt. We freeze them and then they have thawed to the perfect temperature by lunchtime.
5. Pack your fruit fresh. Instead of pricey, tiny containers of sliced fruit cocktails or fruit yogurt, pack a small apple, banana, or a bunch of grapes. Clementines are easy to peel and low on seeds, so they are a great alternative to oranges or tangerines.
6. Don't forget the veggies. If your kids devour veggies when there's a little Ranch dressing around, look for reusable containers with a spot for your dipping sauce. Then pack raw veggies – some carrots, celery, sugar snap peas, - and let the kids crunch away. Kids tend to love finger foods and they love to dip things – so this is a great way to pack the vegetables.
7. Instead of potato chips or other fried snacky sides, pack some popcorn or Smartfood.
8. From time to time, take your child to the grocery store with you and ask her to pick out healthy options for her lunch. She might know more about the world of healthy snacks and lunches because she sees (and probably shares in) a great deal of variety from her friend's lunches. You might even find a new favorite for yourself.
On a side note, another way to save money (and a whole lot of waste) is to use washable containers instead of individual plastic baggies whenever possible. There are several innovative and ecofriendly lunch boxes on the market (the Goodbyn, for example) that can help you do away with these baggies altogether by using individual compartments for each part of the meal.
Jamie Jefferson writes for the online parenting magazine Momscape as well as Susies-Coupons.com and New Coupons and Deals, where you'll find the latest online coupon codes, as well as printable grocery coupons.
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