1. How to Pack a Healthy
School Lunch
by Emily Todhunter, 2012
2. A healthy lunchbox is:
ο Full of colorful foods
ο Includes variety of foods from
all groups
ο Proteins
ο Fruits
ο Vegetables
ο Whole grains
ο Dairy
ο Nutrient-dense
ο Delicious!
4. Choose Whole Grains
ο Whole grains provide more vitamins, minerals, fiber, and
protein than white, processed grains.
ο Whole grains can be found in:
ο Whole wheat breads, pita bread, brown rice, pasta,
tortillas, cereal, crackers, popcorn, & pretzels.
5. Ideas for Incorporating Grains:
ο Whole wheat sandwiches
ο Wraps made from tortillas
ο Pasta or quinoa salad
ο Whole grain crackers with cheese & meat
6. Protein
ο Go Lean with protein
ο Turkey, roast beef, chicken, seafood, eggs, soy products,
beans and peas, nuts & seeds are great choices are all
great protein choices
7. Ideas for incorporating protein:
ο Egg salad sandwiches
ο Tuna salad with whole wheat crackers
ο Meat and cheese kabobs
ο Grilled chicken strips
ο On a salad, or with a honey mustard sauce
ο Peanut butter with apple slices
ο Trail mix, with nuts & seeds
ο Hot soup in a thermos
8. Vegetables
ο Make half of the lunch box fruits and vegetables
ο Vegetables can be fresh, canned, frozen, dried, or in
100% juice form.
ο Only 1 in 4 children eat the recommended 5 fruits and
vegetables per day
ο Pack a variety of colors!
9. Ideas for incorporating vegetables:
ο Raw vegetables with a fun dressing
ο Hummus
ο Low-fat or fat-free salad dressing
ο Salads
ο Vegetable soup in a thermos
ο Add fresh vegetables such as cabbage,
cucumber, and lettuce to sandwiches
and wraps
ο Mix in diced cucumber or celery to
tuna salad
ο Add a tomato or corn & bean salsa to
dip with whole wheat crackers
10. Fruit
ο Any fruit or 100% fruit juice counts as part of the Fruit
Group.
ο Fruits may be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried, and may
be whole, cut-up, or pureed.
ο Enjoy a wide variety
ο Shop seasonally
11. Ideas for incorporating fruit:
ο Peanut butter and sliced strawberry
sandwich
ο Make a tuna salad sandwich by mixing
canned tuna with diced apples & a little bit
of mayonnaise
ο Slice up fruit, such as apples, into smaller
pieces for easy eating
ο Pack some peanut butter or low-fat/nonfat
yogurt to dip fruit into
ο Fruit kabobs
12. Dairy
ο Choose fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese
ο Make sure to use a freezer pack to keep these products
cold until lunchtime
13. Ideas for incorporating dairy
ο Yogurt with granola & fruit on top
ο Cheese & crackers (make your own Lunchables)
ο Cheese & fruit kabobs
ο Cottage cheese
ο Skim or 1% milk
ο Use a cookie cutter to make fun cheese shapes
14. Treats
ο Aim to make snack treats occasional rather than
everyday items.
ο Treats should be less than 150-200 calories and should
not be high in fat, sugar, or sodium.
16. Drinks
Drinks should be zero calorie or have some nutritional content
ο Healthy Ideas Include: ο Avoid sugary drinks such
ο Fat free or Low-fat milk
as:
ο Sports drinks
ο 100% fruit juice
ο Water ο Energy drinks
ο Sodas
ο Lightly sweetened tea
ο Fruit-flavored drinks
17. Sandwich Alternatives
ο Soup w/ a Breadstick
ο Cold pasta salad
ο Taco salad, burritos
ο Dinner Leftovers
ο Lasagna
ο Chicken pot pie
ο Casseroles
ο Grilled chicken
ο Cheese, meat, & crackers
Taco Salad Lunch
ο Breakfast for lunch
ο Pancakes & sausage/eggs
ο Cereal w/ a thermos of milk
18. Keep Cold Items Cold
ο Include ice packs or frozen gel packs
ο Sandwiches, yogurt, & juice boxes can
also be frozen before school and will be
defrost and be cold by lunchtime
ο Sandwiches with meat, eggs, dairy
should be packed directly next to the
cold source
ο A frozen gel pack in an insulated lunch
bag should keep the food cold until
lunchtime.
ο Optimum temperature for cold foods is
41 degrees F.
19. Keep hot items hot
ο In order to keep a thermos of
chili or soup hotβ
ο Preheat the thermal container
by putting boiling water in it
first, letting it sit for a few
minutes, then dump out the hot
water
ο The preheated container, when
filled with hot soup or chili, will
remain hot enough to prevent
food borne illnesses all the way
through the lunch hour.
20. Other Food Safety Tips
ο Wash hands before preparing the
lunch
ο Wash fruits & vegetables
ο If including leftovers, make sure
leftovers were refrigerated within 2
hours of cooking and were kept in
the refrigerator overnight.
ο If prepared the night before, store in
refrigerator overnight
ο Make sure your kids know to wash
or sanitize their hands before eating
their lunch
ο Remind your kids to store their
lunch away from direct sunlight or a
heat source like a classroom radiator
21. Hints
ο Buy a lunchbox that is easy to use
and that your child likes
ο Include multiple colors and
textures in the lunch
ο Include condiments in the
lunchbox
ο Pack salad dressings in separate
containers so salads donβt get
soggy or mushy
22. Make it Appealing
ο Use fun napkins and toothpicks
ο Include a hand-written note for
your child
ο Cut food (sandwiches, cheese)
into fun shapes with cookie
cutters
ο Make it βkid-sizedβ
ο Cube cheese, meat, and fruit
ο Cut up fruits and vegetables into
bite-sized pieces
ο Make sandwiches miniβ cut into
halves or fourths
23. Save Time!
ο Create a healthy lunch plan for the week and have all of those items
on hand
ο Pre-chop fruits and vegetables in the beginning of the week.
ο Place food portions for meals in bags or containers ahead of time:
things like crackers, fruits, cheese portions.
ο Use frozen vegetables in a
pinch if running low on fresh
produce.
ο Use left-overs from the night
before.
ο Make lunch while you are
making another meal
24. You Can Do It!
ο Remember:
ο The main elements needed to create
healthy lunch day in and day out are:
ο Preparation
ο Organization
ο Thoughtful approach
ο Creativity
ο Find out what works for you and stick
with it.
ο Stay inspired
Editor's Notes
Packing a healthy lunch for your children is a great way to get them the nutrients they need to power through the school day. Unfortunately, lunch boxes are often filled with packaged βconvenienceβ foods like full-calorie soda, chips, and cookies. This can add up to a lot of excess fat, sugar, sodium and calories that may contribute to long-term health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.These extra calories may also make kids sluggish or cranky in the afternoons.When deciding what to put in your child's lunch box, it's a good idea to include foods from different groups. Focusing on variety not only makes lunches more interesting, but also helps your children enjoy a balanced lunch that will provide the energy and nutrients they need to grow, play, learn and stay healthy.
Switch from bologna, salami, pastrami or corned beef, and other fatty luncheon meats to low-fat alternatives such as lean turkey or chicken breast.Use peanut butter in moderation: 2 tablespoons (about the size of a ping pong ball) provides about 190 calories and 16 grams of fatPack salt-free, dry-roasted almonds, hazelnuts, or walnuts to provide kids with a dose of heart-healthy essential fatty acids--be sure to cap the serving at ΒΌ cup since nuts are high in calories.
Try a lowfat or light yogurt in exchange for the full calorie varieties targeted at children. If youβd prefer to avoid artificial sweeteners, try packing fat-free plain yogurt mixed with fresh fruit.
The taco salad shown would be a great, complete lunch, when served with a whole grain, fruit, and a drink.
Stay inspired by reading new recipes, trying new foods, and looking at other lunchbox posts online