Make your kids’ school lunch fun with some Cosmic Apple Garden “Free Range” carrots. They’re available at the Wednesday People’s Market or Saturday morning’s Jackson Hole Farmers Market.
Make your kids’ school lunch fun with some Cosmic Apple Garden “Free Range” carrots. They’re available at the Wednesday People’s Market or Saturday morning’s Jackson Hole Farmers Market.
Teton County public schools started this week. Other local schools started last week. I expect there are stressed parents trying to get kids back on an early morning schedule. Getting breakfast prepped, while also attempting to pack a healthy lunch, may seem like too much to handle. And yet we want our children to have the best start to a new school year. And nutrition makes a difference.
Although I think our local schools provide a much better school lunch than many places, a brown bag lunch may provide your child with more time in the “too short” lunch period. It also offers parents the opportunity to teach students how to plan a healthy meal.
First, let us look at the basic formula. All meals should be approximately half produce, along with one quarter healthy protein and one quarter whole grain. Ideally, lunches are based on fresh foods rather than processed items. Then, get creative. Here are a few ideas.
The ol’ PB and J was the standard for many families, including mine, for many years. But serious food allergies require all students to make a simple pivot. With some tweaks, it can be done.
How about almond, cashew or sunflower butter sandwich? First, choose a whole-grain bread, tortilla or wrap. My favorites include Dave’s Killer or Ezekiel whole-grain bread, which have plenty of fiber and flavor. Other good options include a whole-wheat bagel, sandwich or pita thins, which provide nutrition that does not squish in a lunch bag. Or opt for a “low- carb” wrap, really just a high-fiber tortilla, whether it is white or brown. Fiber helps the carbohydrates absorb slowly into the bloodstream, offering a stable blood sugar level to keep focus steady.
Instead of jelly, in the revised PB and J take it up a nutritional notch. Try adding sliced bananas, apples, peaches, cherries or even kiwis. For a bit of added sweetness, choose a bit of honey or 100% fruit spread.
Other protein options for a whole-grain sandwich include hummus, white beans, tuna, smoked salmon, chicken breast or all natural deli meats. Cheese is usually high in saturated fat, so limit the quantity or substitute Laughing Cow cheese, chèvre or a light cheese spread.
Most of us, including children, get much more protein than we need. Not more than one half cup of protein per meal is required, and can also be obtained from grains, beans, nuts, seeds, milk or milk alternatives, vegetables and soy.
If your kids are not sandwich fans, ask them to help do the shopping and prepping, with you, the parents, setting the boundaries. Soup or salad with whole-grain crackers, pasta salad, quesadillas with veggies and cheese, or a noodle veggie salad will all fit the “healthy lunch” bill. How about sushi? Or leftover healthy pizza? They might decide that a yogurt, fruit and granola lunch is the just right balance to be eaten in the short time they have for lunch. Choices are important to make sure they actually eat their lunch.
Bento boxes are a great way to serve a balanced lunch that is visually elegant and delicious. Whole Foods Market and local kitchen shops provide some cute square-box ways to store a lunch. We all know, from eating at a nice restaurant, that the appeal of a meal is mostly based on the presentation. Let your students choose the lunch box, Bento box or cooler they use.
Fruits and vegetables seem to be the most challenging part of a brown bag lunch, so involving the student is important for these choices. Encourage them to eat a “rainbow” of colors, helping achieve this by allowing them to shop and choose the items. Also, consider the prep for ease of eating. Slice apples, peaches, pears, kiwis and oranges. Consider prepping fruit chunks of melon, pineapple or bananas. Natural finger foods include berries, cherries and grapes. Canned fruit in juice or applesauce are fair choices, as are dried fruits, like raisins, dried mango, pineapple, apples and banana chips. These options are less nutritious, but still healthful, compared to other packaged foods.
Most kids love snow or snap peas, baby carrots and sliced veggies like celery, red pepper slices and cherry tomatoes. Again, let the kids assist in the choosing and you might find them trying new things from the produce department. Maybe they will choose jicama or kohlrabi, which is sweet and juicy. Or roasted baby sweet peppers. Even a salad mix like coleslaw or kale slaw will fill the bill. Only a trip to the market will tell. Or better yet, the local Peoples’ and Farmers Markets, which run through September. This is adventure shopping, interesting as well as educational.
A treat is a part of any healthy meal plan. Whether a homemade cookie, granola bar or low-fat pudding, know that if your child only eats the treat, there will still be some nutrition in their belly to get them through afternoon classes. Most kids can bake with assistance by the age of six. Simply remake a cookie recipe by substituting whole-grain flours, lowering the sugar and butter content, and adding healthy items like nuts, dried fruit or spices. Including bananas, applesauce or pumpkin in the recipe also beefs up the vitamin and mineral content. Teaching children to read and implement a recipe is simply math and science in the kitchen.
A look at school lunch studies by the Brookings Institute found that a healthy school lunch affects physical development, concentration, memory and behavior in students. And a new study of California schools found improvement in student test scores when a healthy school lunch vendor was contracted. So enjoy the learning process, and know that the time and effort will reap rich academic benefits.
Therese Lowe Metherell, a dietitian and nutritionist, has been in private practice in Jackson for 30 years. Contact her at peaknutrition68@gmail.com.
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