There is a lot of discussion about school lunches, and the quality of nutrition. Schools do have to follow a form of dietary nutrition such as vegetable, fruit, meat, etc. However, the fruit cup is soaked in sugar, and not to mention the fat content and preservatives. While I realize that a lot of times in public schools lunches are provided to those who can not afford to buy their own, the best choice for those that can is to prepare your child’s lunch at home to ensure the quality of nutrition.
When I took a healthy cooking class last fall, we asked our instructor about healthy lunches for our kids. My sister said her daughter would only eat PB&J’s everyday. Tracy, our instructor, said “If that is all they eat, and you buy the all natural peanut butter and the all natural jelly with Whole wheat (or organic) bread, then they have protein and fiber, with low sugar. Add a fruit, and you have a balanced lunch.” It is not about variety, it is about quality. If you find a healthy lunch they will eat, then let them have it as long as they will eat it.
There is a lot of propaganda over certain foods being healthy. Most Fruit Waters contain high fructose corn syrup (which alters the hormone leptin in your brain which tells you when you are full.) If you are going to give them a fruit juice or water, the best fruit water we have found is Minute Maid Fruit Falls water. They like it as much as fruit juice, but it does not have excess calories. (This has less than 2% of fructose which is a natural sweetner. There is a difference between Procesed High Fructose Corn Syrup, and all natural Fructose.) There are other waters that are healthy, you just have to read the labels. Lunchables is not a healthy lunch. They are full of preservatives, and high in sodium, and nitrates. Nitrate, which are found in most lunch meats are known to cause cancer. The best alternative to Lunchables is to buy the nitrate free meats, some crackers, and cheese, and create your own. ( Hormel, and Oscar Mayer has an all natural product now. And most all Boar’s Head is nitrate and preservative free.)
Leftovers are a great, inexpensive and fast way to get a healthy lunch in your child. My daughter loves leftovers. Today for instance, she took pork chops and couscous. This is healthy and packed last night as I was cleaning the kitchen, so it is quick and easy. If you do different leftovers two to three times a week, you have given variety and healthy choices, and saved money on lunches.
Remember to not overwhelm your kids with all healthy things, if you do they might rebel. Throw in a small cookie, or their favorite snack once in awhile. Fruit water is one of my daughter’s treats, but it is still healthy. You still want them to be fun, and healthy.
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