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Packing Healthy School Lunches: As Easy As ABC
 When packing healthy lunches for your school-age children, remember your ABCs.
"A good guideline for packing nutrition into your child's school lunch is to have a source of vitamin A, a source of the B vitamins and a good source of both vitamin C and calcium," says Debby Demory-Luce, Ph.D., R.D., an instructor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, "because many foods rich in these nutrients are also good sources of vitamin D, iron, protein and carbohydrates."
Here are the ABCs of packing healthy lunches:
For vitamin A, provide a half-cup of a deep yellow or deep orange fruit or vegetable. Baby carrots (packed with a favorite yogurt dip), cubed cantaloupe or dried apricots are good choices. |
B vitamins are found primarily in meat, milk and eggs, but whole grains, nuts and seeds contain a small amount. Vitamin B-12 is found only in meat, milk and eggs. Meat, cheese or peanut butter sandwiches on whole-grain or enriched breads, low-fat cheese with whole-wheat crackers, pasta salad with cheese and kidney beans, and even lunch-box treats of graham crackers, oatmeal cookies studded with raisins and sunflower seeds provide B vitamins, protein, carbohydrates and iron. For kids' lunches, pack at least two servings of grains or two slices of bread and some protein every day. |
Vitamin C is found in fruits and vegetables. Fresh is best, but frozen fruits and vegetables are acceptable alternatives. Canned vegetables generally have lost the most nutrition. The best calcium sources are dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese; choose low-fat or nonfat products. Non-dairy sources of calcium include calcium-fortified soy milk and juices. Pack a half-cup of fresh strawberries, cubed pineapple, citrus fruits or citrus juice for vitamin C, and a cup of low-fat milk or yogurt for calcium. Low-fat dairy products also provide protein and vitamin D. This food source of vitamin D is especially important for children in extreme northern latitudes who may not get enough sunshine in winter to produce adequate vitamin D. |
"Lunch should provide one-third of a child's daily intake of vitamins, mineral and calories," says Dr. Demory-Luce. Choose from a variety of foods to ensure good nutrition.
"It's important to get children involved in the selection and preparation of their school lunches," says Dr. Demory-Luce. "Not only do most children want a say in what they are going to have for lunch, but parents can also use this time to teach them how to make healthy choices. These lessons, will, in most cases, stay with them for the rest of their lives."
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Source: Krames Staywell
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