Last week I talked about the importance of healthy lunches. I told you about some of the harmful things in the marketed “healthy” items for kids, and some alternatives. This week, I wanted to share some more practical tips on how to prepare healthy lunches.
- Sneak in fresh vegetables and fruits. While your child may leave a whole apple untouched, she may love cut up grapes in her chicken salad. (Click here for a great Chicken Salad recipe with grapes.)
- Get creative: Use cookie cutters to carve sandwiches into fun shapes. Use a cool sports bottle for their water, or splurge $2 a week for the little aquapod fun shaped water bottles.Â
- Prep lunches with leftovers from dinner the night before. (We discussed this one last week) It is fast, easy, and it is cost effective.
- Don’t be afraid of things that seem “snacky”. For instance, Peanut butter crackers can be healthy. The benefits of all natural Peanut butter is fabulous. Protein, and fiber, and all the benefits of nuts. Cheese cubes, carrots and grape tomatoes with ranch dressing. All great snacks, and lunch items!Â
- Indulge in desserts, but don’t go overboard. Total overkill on “health” food can cause an uprising. So every once in awhile treat them a little.
- Choose to introduce new things, and reinforce the things they do not love, at home rather than school. Example: Emily will not drink her water at school. So, I send the fruit water, or watered down juice, occasionally some Splenda/Decaffeinated tea. This is part of “the deal” I have with her that at dinner she must drink water. For us it is even if we drink tea, because I drink water all day, but for some you may have to drink water as well for the example.
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