| Ahhh... the good ole lunch box/snack-box challenge. | | | | slowly but keeping the healthy sandwich on white |
| And yes, if you're good parenting then you know it is | | | | bread but making sure you have also packed their |
| exactly that - a challenge! Oh sure it's easy if your just | | | | favorite fruit to compensate for the brown bread. |
| gonna throw any ole edible item and beverage in there, | | | | Include a few carrots and cucumbers as well, or their |
| but if you are attempting to provide a healthy, yet | | | | veg of choice that is packable. Tell your kids that if |
| delicious snack or lunch for your child, with the hopes | | | | they don't want the brown bread they have to eat a |
| he won't trade it for someone else's junk food, then | | | | fruit and veg along with their sandwich. |
| you know the constraints of the situation. | | | | Pack a bottle of water instead of juice boxes. Most |
| A child's energy, attention span and stamina at school | | | | juice boxes are high in sugar. However, water will keep |
| depends much on his nutrition. Good parenting means | | | | a child hydrated without the sugar rush, extra calories |
| giving your child a healthy breakfast and lunch or | | | | and a lowered immune system. Water is also |
| snack, which is just as important as being in a good | | | | beneficial to the skin, as well many other parts of the |
| school and having a good teacher. Just as important | | | | body. If your child insists on the juice then dilute the |
| as hygiene, and just as important as learning to be a | | | | juice in a water bottle. |
| nice person. Unfortunately not all parents take the time | | | | Involve your child in the decision making of his lunch or |
| to ensure a nutritious meal and send their kids to | | | | snack. This helps to alleviate swapping his food with |
| school with a box full of junk, making it harder for the | | | | others. Use the opportunity to chat about healthy |
| other kids to be interested in their healthy snack, which | | | | eating but try and make it fun and entertaining and not |
| furthers to a parents frustration when the healthy lunch | | | | like a classroom experience. |
| or snack box comes home untouched. | | | | Help keep your child from using his milk money for junk |
| Good parenting means recognizing that it isn't always | | | | food by packing a dessert. You can satisfy your child's |
| a good idea to solely rely on school cafeteria lunches, | | | | sweet need with tiny amounts of junk food mix in with |
| because although the United States Department of | | | | healthy foods. A small amount of M&M's with trail |
| Agriculture (USDA) says school lunches should provide | | | | mix, one cookie with yogurt, fruits topped with raisins |
| one-third of a child's nutrition needs, meeting caloric | | | | and a little caramel or chocolate sauce or dipping |
| needs alone is not necessarily nutritious enough. Calorie | | | | sauce. Try making muffins or cookies with pureed |
| dense makes no sense if the meal is not also healthy. | | | | vegetables in the ingredients. |
| Tips To A Well Balanced Lunch | | | | So if you're going to make a lunch or snack box, take |
| A lunch consisting of a lean meat, whole grain, low-fat | | | | a few extra minutes to make it count toward your |
| dairy product and fruit and/or vegetable is a | | | | child's well being and functionality through out the day. It |
| well-balanced, healthy lunch. 1-2 to of these is good for | | | | will take some time for your child to get used to his |
| a balanced healthy snack. Packing a sandwich with | | | | new foods so use the suggestions above as well as |
| lean meat or tuna fish is good - but making that | | | | be creative and before you know it your child will be |
| sandwich with whole grain bread, a good source of | | | | accustomed to his new healthy friends and coming |
| fiber, is even better. However, unless from very early | | | | home with an empty lunch or snack box. As a parent |
| on a child is accustomed to eating brown bread, kids | | | | you will have earned an "A" in good parenting for the |
| usually become totally uninterested in their sandwich if | | | | healthy lunch box challenge. |
| it's made with brown bread. A good idea is to start off | | | | |