With a little bit of planning, you can use these healthy lunch choices to pack a meal that will fuel students all day long.
Many dietitians recommend starting with a protein such as turkey or beans, adding a whole grain, picking a fruit or vegetable, and including a dairy serving.Sounds like a great theory, but how does that translate into an actual lunch? Mix and match these lunch box ideas:
- Nut butter on whole-grain tortilla with fresh fruit slices and low-fat milk
- Hummus and veggies wrapped in a whole-grain tortilla, with a container of yogurt or milk
- Build it yourself with three or four whole-wheat crackers, two or three slices of turkey or chicken breast, and low-fat cheese squares or wedges
- Whole-wheat pasta salad–include veggies and chicken or tuna–with low-fat milk or yogurt
- Chicken or turkey with avocado and lettuce in a whole-wheat wrap; serve with a skewer of cherry tomatoes and mozzarella cheese pieces
- Tuna or chicken salad in half a whole-wheat pita pocket with leaf lettuce, a piece of fruit or fresh fruit cup, and low-fat milk
Making healthy lunch box ideas a reality
It’s easier to put together a healthy lunch if you plan ahead and have the ingredients on hand. Think about what you’ll make for the week, shop for the ingredients and, before the weekend is over, prepare anything you can ahead of time––bag some crackers or grapes or make the chicken salad, for instance. Young students particularly enjoy helping with lunch planning and prepping.
Keep it fresh and easy
Put a small ice pack or small frozen bottle of water in the lunch box to keep everything cold and safe to eat. And, especially with younger kids, items need to be easy to open and eat.
Here are tips for getting kids to eat those fruits and veggies at lunch:
- Cut fruit into bite-size pieces. Fruit salad is ideal. Grapes are ready to serve
- Stick to seasonal fruits for variety and the best prices
- If including a whole piece of fruit such as an apple, make sure it’s the right size for your child to easily hold it
- When using avocado, mash or drizzle with a dash of lemon or lime juice to keep it from discoloring
- Use a vegetable peeler to shape veggies such as cucumbers into long ribbons to add to sandwiches
