Monday, May 3, 2010
Creative Ideas for Healthy School Lunches
We've really been inspired by what Jamie Oliver is doing with his Food Revolution. But it’s always a challenge to know what to pack for a healthy lunch that our kids will want to eat. And how we pack the lunches also has an impact on our environment and budget. Did you know that by using throw away sacks, napkins, plastic utensils, prepackaged foods you’ll end up generating about 67 pounds of waste in a school year for one child alone?
If you use reusable lunch containers and utensils you can save about $246 for the year per child. And reusable container gives you greater options—you’re not stuck with a sandwich, chips, and carrot sticks. An added bonus is that you’ll be able to keep tabs on what is eaten and then you can discuss why they didn’t like something. Maybe a simple substitution will go over better.
As a reminder when you pack a lunch, keep hot food hot and cold food cold. We don’t want anyone getting sick.
Even though there's 45 minutes for lunch, they’ll be chatting with their friends and itching to go out to recess. So how can you provide a variety of enticing foods that they’ll want to eat?
· Use your leftovers from dinner. If your children loved it then, it’s likely they’ll want some more. Or when you make dinner, make a portion in fun sizes and shapes for lunch like mini burgers, mini pizza decorated with a face out of olives and red peppers, etc.
· Do something different instead of the same old sandwich—roll sandwich fillings up in a flour tortilla and slice it in bite size pieces.
· Rather than always using lunch meat and cheese for their sandwiches, try new fillings, a little at a time—avocado, sprouts, nut butters, etc. And try different types of bread like pita bread, rolls, etc.
· Cut up enough veggies for a few days and keep them in the refrigerator. You’ll save time by not having to do it every morning. The smaller the cut the easier to eat.
· Kids love to dip their food, so provide a dressing to dip vegetables in and for dessert they could dip their cookie or fruit in yogurt.
· Try vegetable pastas for your salads. They’re pretty, tasty, and nutritious.
· I’ve recently become intrigued with the Laptop Lunch system. Another creative way (but potentially more time-consuming way) is the bento box system. Let me know if you find another method you really like.
It’s important to choose whole grains, vegetables, and fruits for a well-balanced way of eating. But it’s not just about the type of food you choose. A child will be more excited about eating if he’s had a share in making it. You’ll need more patience to involve your kids, but really you’re teaching them how to prepare good food and understand proper nutrition. Besides, those times together can be a lot of fun.
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