by Yvette Garfield
It’s that time of year again for the back-to-school routine that includes daily lunches.
Here are some tips for how to make lunch time healthier and more fun:
KEEPING IT FRESH
Lunch should be colorful, playful and fun. Kids like cool shapes so try using a cookie cutter for sandwiches. Kids love to dip their food so dress up veggies with dips to get kids excited about finishing their vegetables. Have a minimum of 3 different color fruits and veggies in a lunch (ex: broccoli and carrots for dip, strawberries for part of dessert).
FOLLOW THE NEW GOLDEN RULE
Get rid of the fried food and avoid eating anything golden brown. This includes tater tots, French fries, chicken fingers and onion rings. If you want to fry foods, try making it at home with a small amount of extra virgin olive oil. MILK IS GOOD, SUGAR IS NOT. Skip the sweet drinks, including juices and flavored milks. Plain milk is good for you, just check the sugar content on what you and your kids are consuming. The easiest way to improve a diet is to switch from drinking soda to water. For this school year, get rid of soda and flavored milk.
BOX IT UP
Try serving lunch in a bento box, where you can fill the compartments with: protein, veggies, carbohydrates, and dessert that include fresh fruit. By compartmentalizing food on the plate helps kids understand the different food groups and the proper portions they should be eating.
MAKE LUNCH A CLASS
Another great way to get your children to try to new foods is to include them in the cooking process. Cooking your lunch can be part of a home school lesson on nutrition, health, and new cultures. Make lunch fun!
Yvette Garfield, author and creator of the Handstand Kids Cookbook Series (www.handstandkids.com). Contact her at yvette@handstandkids.com.
It’s that time of year again for the back-to-school routine that includes daily lunches.
Here are some tips for how to make lunch time healthier and more fun:
KEEPING IT FRESH
Lunch should be colorful, playful and fun. Kids like cool shapes so try using a cookie cutter for sandwiches. Kids love to dip their food so dress up veggies with dips to get kids excited about finishing their vegetables. Have a minimum of 3 different color fruits and veggies in a lunch (ex: broccoli and carrots for dip, strawberries for part of dessert).
FOLLOW THE NEW GOLDEN RULE
Get rid of the fried food and avoid eating anything golden brown. This includes tater tots, French fries, chicken fingers and onion rings. If you want to fry foods, try making it at home with a small amount of extra virgin olive oil. MILK IS GOOD, SUGAR IS NOT. Skip the sweet drinks, including juices and flavored milks. Plain milk is good for you, just check the sugar content on what you and your kids are consuming. The easiest way to improve a diet is to switch from drinking soda to water. For this school year, get rid of soda and flavored milk.
BOX IT UP
Try serving lunch in a bento box, where you can fill the compartments with: protein, veggies, carbohydrates, and dessert that include fresh fruit. By compartmentalizing food on the plate helps kids understand the different food groups and the proper portions they should be eating.
MAKE LUNCH A CLASS
Another great way to get your children to try to new foods is to include them in the cooking process. Cooking your lunch can be part of a home school lesson on nutrition, health, and new cultures. Make lunch fun!
Yvette Garfield, author and creator of the Handstand Kids Cookbook Series (www.handstandkids.com). Contact her at yvette@handstandkids.com.
