Pack healthy lunches to keep kids going during school days

Helen Taylor Smith

guest columnist

With school underway, parents are already thinking about their children’s lunches and snacks for after school. With the economy down, the flu health scare, obesity problems and other health issues, these are indeed trying times.

Working to keep children healthy is more than just about food. Teaching them to wash their hands before they eat; not to exchange food items; cover their mouth when they sneeze or cough; to have pocket packs or folded tissues available, or to wash their hands after they use the restroom is vital to staying healthy.

Washing hands as frequently as possible is the single most important thing to do to stay healthy. Being around so many other kids and all the things they’ve touched is the fastest way to pass on germs that cause illness.

Be sure to pack individually wrapped hand wipes in their backpacks and with their lunches, and teach them to use them before they eat or after they touch door handles or other foreign objects.

Keep your children healthy with good hygiene practice.

For lunches, pack only foods you know your child likes, so they will be eaten and not thrown away or traded. Only pack as much as you think they will eat.

Studies have shown that the most time spent eating lunch is about 15 minutes, since there are so many distractions during lunch. So make lunches appeal to your children by cutting their sandwiches into squares or diagonally, so they can handle them more easily.

Try pita breads or whole wheat wraps. Perhaps a half sandwich is enough.

Make mini pizzas by using whole grain English muffins with tomato pasta sauce. Add grated cheese and small pieces of vegetables.

Pack cheese, thin slices of turkey or chicken or whatever your child prefers. Let them suggest items and help to make their lunches.

Pack cut up, unsweetened fruit into small plastic containers with lids, or unsweetened applesauce or dips for vegetables.

Don’t forget a disposable plastic spoon and napkin.

Check out discount stores, such The Dollar Store, for utensils and containers, in order to keep costs down.

Use plastic zip-style bags for chips, crackers, pretzels, cheese slices, cut up vegetables, nuts, dried fruit or other easy snacks.

A cup of calcium-rich milk is preferred, but if it’s not available or your child is allergic, substitute aseptic packages of pure juice without added sugars. Read the labels carefully.

For older children, use slices of turkey or chicken for sandwiches, slices of homemade pizza using vegetables, sauce and shredded cheese. Leftovers from meals also can be packed into small containers.

Teens, especially boys, need plenty of nutrients to keep them going. Use protein-filled foods to help them sustain energy throughout the school day, such as unsalted, dry-toasted nuts or cheese.

After-school snacks are important, too. Have air-popped corn ready, or dips with cut vegetables, in order to get their daily quota.

An apple, pear, grapes, orange or other fresh fruit also make light snacks.

Give them a glass of milk or rice or almond milk. Don’t fill them up with high-calorie snacks such as cake and cookies that will dull their appetite for nourishing foods at mealtime.

Keep dessert treats for after meals when a small serving will suffice.

For other ideas, type in “school lunch ideas” on Google, and keep in mind to read all ingredient labels in order to avoid high sugar, salt or fat content.

Cooking Corner columnist Helen Taylor Smith can be reached by e-mail at thecook@thehealthycook.com.