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nutrition
Real Lunches for Real Children Even parents with the best intentions and healthiest of eating habits can be challenged when making school lunches. As your enthusiasm for filling the lunch box wanes during the school year, here are a few things to keep in mind. Don’t mix stress with food. I’ve stopped agonizing over school lunches. I’ve stopped worrying about what the teacher thinks if my child doesn’t have a traditional bread sandwich in his box. Lunch is only one of three major meals my children eat each day. It’s a pit-stop that keeps my child fueled up between a good breakfast at home and a good family meal at the dinner table. It’s not an epic nutritional battle, and it’s not the end of the world if his lunch isn’t highlighted in Southern Living. The last thing I want my children to learn from me is to stress over food. So, let it go! Little eyes… Your children are watching what you eat. What do you eat for lunch? What snacks do you reach for when you’re hungry? Remember that you are the most significant role model in your child’s life. What you snack on and whether or not you habitually skip meals may leave a lasting impression on your children. Supplying the self-packer. You may be so fortunate as to have a child that is willing to pack his own lunch. While the effort deserves an A+, the content gets a grade of its own. Monitoring your self-packer can be a challenge. Almost all suggestions or objections will sound like criticism. Many children feel they have little ‘control’ over their own lives, so you might do well to give them a longer leash in this one area. The least confrontational way to monitor the self-packer is to impact the supply chain. Fill your cupboards with items you are comfortable with the child taking to school. Family treats that are high in sugar or fat intended for special occasions should be stored in an area that the children know is ‘off limits’ unless mom or dad make the offer. Pack what your child likes to eat. You’re fooling yourself if you think your child is going to eat celery sticks for lunch. If she asks for them, great. But you’ll save a ton of money if you avoid buying foods that go directly into the cafeteria trash can. The nutritional benefits of eating hummus are obvious but if the child throws it away, she’ll most likely replace it with a vending machine snack or she’ll skip a meal altogether. Your best bet is to supplement the healthy items you want in the lunch bag with some of the foods your child likes to eat. If she likes cookies, buy a brand with low sugar and preferably organic. This way you’re both happy. Portion Control This is the key to the lunch time challenge! Let’s pretend that your child is content with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, string cheese and an apple as the core items in their lunch. The remaining items can include your child’s favorite snack foods as long as you serve them in moderation. Avoid buying single serving snacks at the grocery store. Your child will be best served if you buy regular size bags and boxes of snacks and then portion them out in a zip lock snack bag. Just because Nabisco says that six Oreo cookies is a ‘single serving’ doesn’t mean your child should eat six cookies at once. Two is probably plenty. Packing the cookies will allow your child to satisfy a craving without overdoing it. With just two cookies in her belly, she won’t feel deprived and she’ll have room for the apple.
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