Indiana Action for Healthy Kids

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Back to School with Healthy Lunch Tips

Packing a lunch for school can be a challenge.  But by using different foods the children can enjoy variety, learn to try new foods, and have a healthy lunch.  Try these ideas to put some jazz back into your child’s lunch box:

Sandwiches-Use Whole Grain Breads (whole wheat, pumpernickel, rye breads)

• Chicken/Tuna/Egg Salad on WW Bread topped with Veggies (grated carrots, chopped peppers, sliced tomatoes

• Hummus with chopped yellow, red, and green peppers

• Peanut Butter with jelly or jam and add slices of banana or apple (use reduced sugar jams or fruit spreads including apple butter)

• Peanut Butter with raisins and sliced almonds or granola pieces

• Cream Cheese with veggies like cucumbers, peppers, carrots

• Cream Cheese with sliced fruits such as berries, apples, mandarin orange slices and low sugar jam or fruit spread

• Spreadable Cheese with ham/turkey and veggies

• Try different breads like English muffins, raisin bread, bagels, and rolls, pita pockets

• Add some extra nutrients by adding fresh spinach leaves to sandwiches

• Puree beans and add minced onion, chopped tomatoes, garlic powder for a sandwich spread

Wraps

• Turkey Tortilla Wrap-slices of deli turkey, lettuce leaves, slices of tomato, 1 slice of cheese

• Cran-Turkey Wrap-slices of deli turkey, cranberry sauce, lettuce, roll tightly and cut into pinwheels

• Vegan Wrap-hummus with slices of peppers and cucumbers

Pitas

• Choose WW pita wraps and stuff with hummus, peppers, sliced almonds

• Chop up turkey or ham and add to pasta salad and stuff in a pita

• Cheese sticks in a pita with grated carrots

Beyond the Sandwich

• Beef and vegetable stew with a hard roll

• Chicken noodle soup with whole grain crackers

• Lasagna with a salad and whole grain bread

• Chicken casserole with carrots and a veggie dip

• Chili with whole grain crackers and bread

• Left over Stir-Fry or sautéed veggies with rice

• Use spreads (peanut butter, cream cheese, and spreadable cheeses on rice cakes

Dip of the Day

• Salsa with tortilla chips

• Light ranch dressing with veggies

• Fruit yogurt with sliced or cut-up fruit

Lunch Bag Tips

• Soups and stews are great in a lunch box

• Use your crock pot to make a soup or stew for a family supper and

• Then pack the leftovers in a lunch box for the next day

• Use mustard instead of mayo

• Kids love Crunch

• Kids love kid-sized bites          

Easy Sides

• Dried Fruit-raisins, apricots, cranberries, blueberries, banana chips

• Nuts like almonds, cashews, or walnuts are an easy to eat side

• Pretzels or baked chips

• Whole Grain Crackers add a nice crunch!

• Avoid fruit snacks-mostly sugar and teeny amount of fruit

• Pasta Salad, coleslaw or potato salad

• Veggie and cheese kabobs using cubes of cheese and grape tomatoes

• Whole grain muffins

• Popcorn

• Homemade snack mix with rice, corn, wheat chex, cheerios, nuts, pretzel pieces

• Dill pickle spears or slices

Beverages

• Milk is best – 1% or Skim

• Water is always a healthy option, as long as it is accompanied by another high calcium food

• Avoid sugary soft drinks like sodas, fruit drinks in the pouch or boxes

• Fruit juices are ok occasionally as long as they are 100% fruit juice but there it isn’t a good idea to send juice every day

• Vegetable juices

• Non-fat milkshake (1 cup skim milk, 1 cup ripe fruit, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2-3 ice cubes – blend well)

• Fruit Smoothie (1-cup low fat yogurt, ¼ cup pineapple juice, ½ cup ripened fruit, 2-3 ice cubes – blend well)

Dessert Ideas

• Granola bars

• Yogurt, yogurt with granola on top

• Fruit kabob (pieces of fruit on a popsicle stick)

• Fruit-apple, banana, mandarin oranges, orange slices,

• Homemade snack mixes that include dried fruit, pretzels, nuts, crackers, cereal, M & M’s chocolate chips

• Pudding snacks (only contribute about 10% of calcium needs)

• Mandarin oranges are easy for little ones to eat (get the ones packed in water)

Budget Ideas

• Buy frozen berries to mix into low fat yogurts

• Buy frozen fruit during winter months

• Make your own soup on a weekend and freeze into smaller containers.  The night before place the frozen soup in the fridge to thaw and then microwave in the morning and pour into a hot thermos

• Avoid buying 100 calorie packs and foods with a lot of packaging…it is healthier.  And cheaper to make it and package it yourself

• Pack what your child will eat – be mindful of smaller portions for smaller kids

• Stock up when food items are on sale

• Prepare your grocery list based on the Pack-A-Lunch Grid and plan to have these items available in your kitchen

• Avoid pre-packaged lunches, as these are typically too high in sodium and calories

• Avoid processed meats like bologna and cold cuts - These products have a lot of added sodium and fat

• Instead of packaged sets like cheese and crackers prepare your own set with cheese cubes and crackers – save $$$

Keeping Hot food Hot and Cold foods Cold

• Metal or plastic lunch boxes with insulated beverage containers will help keep hot food hot and cold foods cold

• Insulated bags and freezer packs will help keep your child’s lunch cold, safe, and fresh

• Use small plastic containers to keep food separate and to keep portion sizes appropriate for the child

Food Tips

• Let the children make choices within the set standard:

• For lunch you need to choose a fruit, veggie, wrap/pita/sandwich (some kind of protein), and a snack….

• Let the children accompany you to the grocery to help pick out their healthy lunch items

• Elementary Age-Goal should be to make food interesting and nutritious, easy to eat, ready to peel, fruit chopped in small pieces

• For smaller children cut the sandwich up into smaller pieces to make it easier to pick up and eat

• Older children-Goal should be to keep food interesting, provide enough calories and protein to sustain them through after-school activities

• Add a note to your child’s lunch box wishing them a great day or good luck

Pack-A-Lunch Grid

Every day pick one item from each column and mix and match!

Recipe for Non-fat Milkshake

Blend together 1-cup skim milk, 1-cup ripe or canned fruit, 1-teaspoon vanilla, 2-3 ice cubes.  Place in thermos and freeze overnight.  In the morning place thermos in lunch box to drink at lunchtime.

Recipe for Fruit Smoothie

Blend together 1-cup low fat yogurt, ¼ cup pineapple juice, ½ cup ripe fruit of canned fruit, 2-3 ice cubes.  Place in thermos and freeze overnight.  In the morning place thermos in lunch box to drink at lunchtime.