While it's important to send your children to school with a healthy lunch packed with the nutrition they need to learn, grow and play, it's also important to make sure they eat it. Involve your child while you are packing lunch, this will help them become excited about what is for lunch that day, while also giving them a sense of responsibility knowing they helped pack their lunch. Talk about the foods they are getting in their lunch that day and what kind of nutrients they provide for their growing bodies.
Tips :
1. Find a fun lunchbox. Lunch boxes that have compartments will help separate food. Also, using insulated lunch containers will help keep cold foods cold.
2. Keep it simple. Younger children often like meals with fewer ingredients.
3. Include fresh fruits and vegetables. Freshness in fruits and vegetables decreases with age.
4. Provide variety. Make sure choosy kids have enough to select from.Eating from all five food groups will supply protein, fat and carbohydrates.
5. Have fun! Another great idea is to surprise your child by placing encouraging notes in their lunch box.
In a video entitled “Back-to-school Snacks and Lunch-packing Hacks,” Catherine Hill offers key points for packing easy and healthy lunches. She suggests developing a system that works for you and having the supplies and materials available to make it easy. Catherine Hill is a Nutrition Programs Manager, Family and Consumer Sciences with NC State Extensions offers some new ideas and hacks.
