Five ways to pack a healthy school lunch
Making lunch at home is the best way to ensure that your child has a healthy, power-packed mid-day meal that is cost-friendly for the family budget.
Five ways to pack a healthy school lunch
Beth Wallace, Registered dietitian, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
By Beth Wallace
It’s hard to believe that the end of the summer is here, and it’s time to get back into school mode. Back to the early morning routine, finishing homework, and packing a healthy lunch. Making lunch at home is the best way to ensure that your child has a healthy, power-packed mid-day meal that is cost-friendly for the family budget.
Motivating a child to eat well at school can be hard enough. So this year, you might want to consider one of these eco-friendly products that will make their meal look extra special and help avoid a lunchtime letdown.
Bento Lunch Boxes- Who doesn’t love variety at a meal? Fill a bento lunch box container with mini sandwiches, cut vegetables and dip, and sliced fruits for a well-rounded meal kids are sure to love. The mini compartments encourage a healthy assortment, and the Smart Little Lunch box from chasing-fireflies.com comes with a matching drink bottle and stickers to customize the case.
Sweat-Free Ice Packs- Sure, you’ve heard how important it is to make sure your kid’s tuna sandwich and pudding stay cold to stay safe, but who likes a soggy sandwich after the ice pack melts? This ice pack from Kids Konserve comes with a Sweat-Free cover to keep foods chilled to perfection and puddle free.
Reusable Snack Bags- How many plastic sandwich bags does your family go through in a year? Make perfect portions and save some serious plastic with these fancy, fun, reusable sandwich and snack bags from LunchSkins.
Cool Containers- The Kid’s Healthy Lunch Set from Fit &Fresh has it all. The kit comes with containers in a variety of shapes and sizes complete with ice packs that snap right into the container’s lids. Keep the cold foods cold, and the warm foods just the right temperature in the insulated bowls with this smart set.
No Spill Water Bottle- Perhaps the smartest bottle ever, the Contigo Trekker Kids Bottle prevents accidental spills and leaks with its AUTOSEAL® design. Press the button to drink, and release the button to seal the top. Throw it in their backpack without a worry. It’s even dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.
Of course, you don’t need anything fancy, because a good lunch can easily come by way of the classic brown bag. Start their year off right with good nutrition and a bit of lunchtime fun, and get ready for a stellar September.
Beth Wallace, a registered dietitian at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, has more than six years of experience in providing nutrition care for children and adolescents.
How do you pack a healthy school-day lunch? Have some secrets to share?
