Are you having a difficult time considering what to pack for your kid’s school lunches? Having trouble finding time to consider what to feed them? Especially after watching Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution show on ABC Friday evenings. You look at the lunch menu and know there has to be healthier options for lunch. There are simple lunch meals that can be created the night before, eliminating the morning rush to pack something or to just hand over money for the school lunch. Discuss with your kids what types of food they would like to eat for lunch and then talk with them about the importance of a well balance meal at lunch time.

Proteins can come in more sources than just processed lunch meat. Ask your children what they want. Peanut butter and jelly can be made many different ways, using different kinds of nut butters and different all fruit jams or preserves. PB&J does not always have to be placed on white bread. Try it on rice cakes, spelt bread, a whole wheat English muffin or if you dare in a tortilla! Other sandwich ideas include tomato and cheese, egg salad, or real chicken breast meat and cheese. Protein does not need to be contained in a sandwich, try protein by itself as yogurt, tofu cubes, bean and cheese mini burritos, or nuts.

Complex carbohydrates are just as important as protein. Since kids are rapidly growing this is not a time to put them on a low carbohydrate diet. Whole grains are better than white flours, since the white flour has been processed more than the whole grains. Fruits and veggies are also complex carbohydrates. For younger kids try dressing up fruits and veggies by cutting them in different shapes. Explore the produce section with your children and get them involved in choosing the fruits and veggies they want to eat. Add fresh hummus to their lunch so they can dip their veggies into something. Consider the “Dirty Dozen” when buying your fruits and veggies too.

Just as important the food our children eat is what they drink. Water is always the best option, no sugar there, however it can be difficult to get kids to drink it. Try adding fruit (berries, orange even) or even a small amount of 100% fruit juice. These can help make water more appealing, even to us!

These same rules apply to you when you are packing a lunch for yourself for work. My husband and I have started putting 4 dishes out when we are serving up dinner, 2 plates for dinner and 2 containers for tomorrow’s lunch. It helps discipline us and control portions, not to mention gives us lunch for the next day.

Anita M. Larrow, ND