4 Things to Make a Healthy Lunch for Kids

Apr24

Preparing lunches can get monotonous for you to make and for your child to eat.

The solution? Pack lunches with your child!

Come up with some fun and healthy ideas and make a list for the grocery store together. Many times I find that my children will eat more of their lunch because they helped to plan and pack it with me.

It’s important to point out that you don’t always have to pack the traditional sandwich. There are alternatives to sandwiches that can still provide protein and good nutrition. Choose at least four things from the list below and ensure there is a variety of items, i.e., fruit, vegetables, protein and whole grain.

String cheese
Raisins
Hummus and whole-wheat pita bread for dipping
Sliced turkey and cheese with whole grain crackers
Celery with cream cheese and/or peanut butter (use an alternative such as sunflower seed butter for those with allergies)
Granola bars low in sugar (some granola bars are as bad as a candy bar)
Greek Yogurt — high in protein — make sure you buy the lower sugar version, such without added fruit
Cottage cheese
Apple slices with peanut butter (use an alternative such as sunflower seed butter for those with allergies)
Fruits such as strawberries, blueberries or raspberries with some cool whip or yogurt to dip
Sliced cucumbers, carrots, pea pods
Whole wheat bagel with cream cheese
Beef or turkey jerky

Each week ask your child to select a different fruit or vegetable in alphabetical order. For example, start with apples, bananas or blueberries and then carrots and so on. This is a fun way for your child to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, and maybe even try some new ones!

Lastly, it is OK to give them a small dessert, just make sure you follow the 80/20 rule… Only if they eat at least 4 healthy things. Feel free to add to this list.

What’s your favorite healthy lunch item for your kids’ lunch box?

About the Author

As a working mother with two small children, Candice Imwalle understands the challenge of incorporating healthy eating into daily life. In her job as a medical devices regional manager she encounters patients regularly who suffer from vascular disease and Type 2 Diabetes, most commonly caused by a lifetime of poor food choices. Inspired by her job, and the rising obesity rates for both children and adults in the United States, Imwalle decided to search for children’s books about the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle for her kids to read. The lack of options for this kind of children’s literature motivated Imwalle to write her own book – Sir Morgan and the Kingdom of Horrible Food. With a drive to educate children early, so they make good food choices and have a healthy adult life, Imwalle enlisted the writing help of her daughter Isabella and son Cameron, ages five and eight at the time) to assure the book was fun and interesting to younger readers.

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