Kids need to eat healthy lunches and snacks to fuel their bodies and brains to get through the day. Meals and snacks for kids should be balanced and provide a variety of nutrient dense foods. The American Dietetic Association says the best way to get kids to eat healthy lunches and snacks is to involve them in the planning. When parents offer a variety of choices the kids helped plan, they will be more likely to eat it.
School Lunch Meals
An ideal school lunch contains a protein, fruit and/or vegetable, a carbohydrate and some fat, says RD411. Kids can purchase milk and juice at school to ease parents' fear of spoilage. Ideas for school lunch may include peanut butter and jelly, cucumber slices, fruit cocktail and chocolate milk; whole grain crackers, string cheese, a fresh apple and milk; fruit yogurt, graham crackers, carrots with dip, and grapes; turkey roll-up, turkey rolled with lettuce, mandarin oranges, pretzels and chocolate milk; cereal and milk, banana, and a granola bar; whole wheat pita stuffed with humus and shredded carrots, low-fat yogurt, canned fruit and baked potato chips; or pasta salad made with broccoli, carrots, corn and chicken, a fresh orange, and low-fat yogurt.
Lunches at Home
Kids will enjoy a healthy lunch at home when they sit down at the table with mom or dad and talk, says the American Dietetic Association. Some simple at-home lunches for kids may include fun-shaped pasta with chopped tomatoes and fresh mozzarella; French toast with sliced bananas, toasted walnuts and maple syrup; turkey and cheese Panini with leftover vegetables; hamburger with baked French fries and cooked carrots; homemade pizza with watermelon; celery with peanut butter and raisins, whole grain crackers and fresh grapes; or salad topped with grilled chicken with 2 slices of whole grain bread. Offer low-fat milk to drink with lunch for some added calcium.
Snacks
RD411 reports kids get hungry every few hours. Parents need to keep pantries filled with healthy snack options for kids to refuel for after-school activities. Fruit makes a great snack, says the American Dietetic Association. Parents should keep a bowl of fruit in plain sight for kids to grab and go. Parents need to keep snack portions small, so the kids won't ruin their appetite for dinner, says RD411.
In addition to fruit, other great snack ideas include 1 slice of low-fat cheese with 6 whole grain crackers; a container of low-fat yogurt with a sprinkling of granola; baby carrots with low-fat ranch dressing for dip; a high fiber granola bar; 1 slice of whole wheat toast with peanut butter; a handful of nuts; a small bowl of whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk; or an English muffin with 1 slice of low-fat cheese; and 4 Fig Newtons with a glass of low-fat milk.
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