Parents often are eager to encourage nutritious eating instead of relying on school lunches that may not include the healthiest ingredients or letting children fend for themselves. Youngsters often are reluctant to try new foods, however, so finding lunches that are both healthy and fun can be a challenge. A healthy lunch ideally should contain high-quality protein, whole-grain carbohydrates, low-fat dairy and fruits or vegetables to provide essential nutrients. Don't fret if you can't get all of these into a single meal, however. Your child can make up deficiencies in other meals and snacks, if necessary.
Wraps
Wraps are compact and portable, and you can fill them with whatever you want. For adventurous eaters, try a buffalo chicken wrap with grilled chicken, hot sauce, lettuce, tomato and a sprinkling of blue cheese, or a Thai peanut and tofu wrap with store-bought peanut sauce, cucumber slices and boiled tofu. Pickier eaters may prefer more familiar fare. Try ham and cheese with a little spinach to increase the nutrition rolled up in a tortilla. Or spread natural peanut butter on a tortilla and add sliced apple or pear before rolling it up as an alternative to traditional peanut butter and jelly.
Bento Boxes
Take a tip from the Japanese and create a bento box for your child's lunch. Use one large plastic tray or a few small ones, and arrange healthy foods to fill it. Use your creative side to make a pretty pattern with alternating slices of meat, vegetables, cheese and whole-grain crackers. You also can create crazy characters inside your child's bento box or fill a line of paper cupcake liners with an assortment of foods, such as fruits, veggies, mashed potatoes, meatballs and low-salt pretzels. Cover the entire creation with a see-through lid or tightly wrapped plastic wrap so that your child can show off his exciting meal before he eats it.
Silly Sandwiches
Use a cookie cutter to cut sandwiches full of healthy ingredients into fun shapes that kids will enjoy eating. Or use alternatives to sandwich bread, placing fillings in a pita pocket, between rice cakes or on a sliced bagel. If you're packing sandwiches to go, place them in a container that won't get smashed. Even the best-intentioned sandwich can be a turnoff to children if it seems like a crushed mess when they open their lunchbox.
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