It’s back to school time - A time when we embark upon the next level of schooling. You’re preparing to buy school supplies and get everything academic in order. But, what about lunches? Good nutrition is a good foundation for learning. Some great ways to offer healthy choices are through providing frequent healthy eating & using a bento box.
Breakfast: It’s a great idea to start each day with a good, healthy breakfast. We’ve probably all heard it said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Not every child is excited about eating breakfast and may not feel awake enough to get excited about eating until later in the day. Still, it’s important to jumpstart your child’s metabolism in the morning for the best opportunity to learn.
Some healthy breakfast foods include oatmeal, berries, yogurt, orange juice, fruit salads, toast or even eggs. If you’re worried about the cholesterol, you can use the egg whites only; but, studies have actually shown that when the egg is eaten intact, it’s a healthy food. You might even want to start your day with a protein shake blended with soy milk or other organic milk in your own home.
Snacks: A fun way to offer nutritious after-school snacks is to have a bento box - A box that originated in Japan and offers different compartments for different food groups. It’s a great way to get a complete nutritious meal or snack in one setting. Each compartment is intended to hold a separate food group. These boxes can be used for any meal, but make a great attractive choice for snacks. If you don’t have a bento box, any compartmentalized tray can work just fine. Include healthy snacks such as:
Fruit cut up in bite-sized pieces
Fresh veggies such as carrot sticks or celery (if you like, you could get creative and add peanut butter or almond butter & raisins.
If your children like to dip, try yogurt, guacamole without the hot spices or even try a hummus dip).
Fresh avocados cut into bite-sized slices
Cheerios (or their equivalent)
Cheese sticks or cubes (There are a vast variety of cheese available including organic choices)
Lunch: When lunchtime arrives, if your child has begun the day with a healthy breakfast and had a healthy snack along the way, lunch will consist of healthy choices, but not too much or your child may become too sleepy in the afternoon and have difficulty concentrating.
You’ll probably want to prepare lunches that are quick yet still healthy and allow you to eat, clean up and get back to learning.
Here are some ideas for some fast, healthy lunches:
Lunch box basics kids can help make
School lunches: Healthier alternatives
If you are concerned about keeping your food cold, you can always place a bento box within a larger insulated lunch box with an ice pack. Or, there are lots of bento box accessories available on Ebay.
If we offer healthy options to our children, they will most likely choose what is nutritious and healthy for them. If they are used to eating “junk” food, or if they are a picky eater, this may take some time. But, you’re sure to find something nutritious that each child likes and will help to fuel their bodies for learning.
