Knowing the building blocks for good health and packing a lunch with foods that are "good for you" is only half of a job well done. The other half is making sure your kids are actually eating the food you pack instead of tossing it and buying French fries for lunch!
The best way to complete the job is to get your kids involved. One fun way is to go to mypyramid.gov and print out a copy of the food pyramid. Make a game out of listing which healthy foods belong in each food group, then go shopping! When it's time to prepare lunch, have your kids pick some foods from each colored stripe in the pyramid. That way, they feel like they have a say in what they're eating, but are still making healthy choices.
When buying lunch from the cafeteria, review the cafeteria menu with your child. Ask what a typical lunch includes and which meals he or she likes to eat. Recommend items that are healthier, but be willing to let them order their favorite lunch items occasionally. Parental compromise may increase a child's cooperation.
Consider what you’ve been packing in your child's lunch and perform a makeover with a few small changes. Gradual changes like those listed below can make a big difference in overall calorie, fat and sugar consumption.
Instead of: Consider:
Higher-fat lunch meats ...................Lower-fat deli meats, such as turkey
White bread ...................................Whole-wheat bread
Mayonnaise ....................................Light mayo or mustard
Fried chips and snacks ..................Baked chips, air-popped
popcorn, veggies and dip
Fruit in syrup ..................................Fruit in natural juices or fresh fruit
Cookies and snack cakes ..............Trail mix, yogurt or homemade goods
such as oatmeal cookies or fruit muffins
Fruit drinks and soda .....................Milk, water or 100% fruit juice
Why is good nutrition so important for our children?
Because today 11 million American kids are considered overweight and an additional 13 million are at risk for becoming overweight.
Explore the "menus," "did you know?" and "a better lunch" links above to learn more about this increasing problem and how you can help your children (and in fact your entire family) make some healthy (yummy) changes to your daily diet.
|
