Back to School: Packing Lunch
Back to School: Packing Lunch
LISA GRENTZ, MS, RDN, CD/LDN, FAND
As the excitement of a new school year draws near, shopping for school supplies, backpacks, and lunch boxes moves to the top of our to do list. In order to start the school year off on the right foot, it is important to have a plan for packing school lunches.
As parents, it can certainly feel challenging to come up with lunch ideas, especially when we often feel tired in the evening and rushed in the morning. Whether it is your first or thousandth time preparing your child’s school lunch, the decision on what combination of foods to put together to create a lunch that is nutritious, filling, enticing, flavorful, colorful, and varies in texture never seems easy.
Here are some tips to simplify packing nutritious kid-friendly lunch boxes quickly and easily.
Keep it simple! Kids don’t want a fancy gourmet lunch. They want an assortment of familiar foods.
Save time by planning ahead – from grocery shopping to food prepping, the key is to have options that are prepped and ready to pack
Pack a protein – consider options like deli meat, hummus, egg salad, tuna salad, string cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, nut or seed butter, etc.
Pack fresh fruits and veggies – try including berries, diced melon, grapes, apple slices, banana, cucumber slices, baby carrots, bell pepper slices, etc.
Add some crunch – whole grain crackers, granola, pretzels, Veggie Straws, Harvest Snaps, Sun Chips, banana chips, trail mix, etc. are all great options
Fun treat or surprise – a piece of chocolate, energy ball, or chocolate covered pretzel to satisfy any sweet craving
Packing the lunch box – when putting it all together, make sure to utilize different lunch box compartments, baggies, reusable containers, or plastic wrap to separate any foods with moisture from dry foods to prevent them from becoming soggy
Temperature – add an ice pack so fresh foods can remain chilled
Whether you’re packing the night before or the morning of, these lovingly prepared lunches will keep your child’s belly full and their mind and body energized to learn and play throughout the school day.