PACKING LUNCHES

Now that school is back in session, it's time for a little pep talk.  Back to school means lots of busy mornings and lunch packing.  A fair share of home lunches contain more sugar than an entire days ration. A nutritious lunch doesn't have to be elaborate or difficult.  In fact,  it doesn't even have to be your responsibility.  With a little direction and guidance your children can become healthy lunch packing pros with these 5 simple tips!





#1 MYPLATE GUIDE - Myplate is a great resource to reference when creating meals for your family.  It encourages consumption of all 5 food groups and proper portion sizes.  CLICK HERE for a FREE printable MyPlate fridge poster for your kids to reference when packing their school lunches.  Make it a game, create a lunch that is MyPlate approved and praise them for their efforts.



#2 COLOR ME HEALTHY- Aim for a variety of colors. Not only will a colorful lunch seem more enticing to eat, it also ensures vast vitamin content. Vitamins and minerals are found in all fruits and vegetables, the type and content however, vary one from another.  Eating a rainbow of colors provides the necessary vitamins and minerals for proper growth and 
development.



#3 DIVIDE AND CONQUER - Portion distortion is a nation wide epidemic.  The type of food, as well as the amount of food we eat, plays a vital role in our health and well being.  Consider portioning foods into individual serving bags and storing in a container in the pantry, for an easy morning grab-and-go philosophy. Refer to THIS HANDOUT for proper portion control and management. Decreasing intake will not only cut calories, it will also cut grocery costs.  Making your food last longer, and stretching that food dollar even more.

#4 TEMPER YOUR TEMPERATURE - Food untempered, can be an ideal place for bacteria growth.  Keep food safe and out of the danger zone (40℉-140℉), by keeping hot foods hot, and cold foods cold. Control your food temp with reusable ice packs,  CLICK HERE for some inexpensive DIY ice packs tutorials. 

#5 MODERATION IS KEY- Allow for a small treat every so often.  There is no such thing as a "bad food", too much of anything isn't good for you.  The real secret of eating a balanced diet is moderation. Moderation in the good and the bad, finding a healthy balance that will increase your health and wellness longterm and consistently.  




In the thick of the back to school chaos, don't let your nutrition focus fall to the back burner.  School lunches can be a nutritious home run with a little thought and good intent.  

Consider these lunch ideas:

OPTION #1

Turkey + Cheddar Roll-up
Fresh Berries
Yogurt
Trail Mix 

OPTION #2Hummus
Pita Bread
Grape Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Sliced Oranges

OPTION #3
Cheese Quesadilla
Guacamole
Salsa
Tortilla Chips
Strawberries 

OPTION #4
Deli Meat + Cheese Kabobs
Red Pepper Slices
Apples
Fruit Leather or Snacks

OPTION #5
Hard Boiled Eggs
Baby Carrots + Ranch
Pretzels
Peaches or Applesauce

OPTION #6
Pasta Salad
Yogurt
Granola Bar
Raspberries

OPTION #7
PB&J
String Cheese
Fruit Cup 
Chips

OPTION #8
Crackers
Cheddar Cheese Cubes
Grapes
Carrots

OPTION #9
Bagel + Cream Cheese
Yogurt Tube
Baby Carrots
Apple

OPTION #10
Veggie Wraps with Hummus
Snap Peas
Clementine orange
Granola Bar

https://www.modernhoney.com/back-to-school-kids-lunch-ideas/