Back-to-school nutrition tips

August 17th, 2009 at 10:35am Betsy A. Hornick, MS, RD

Back to school means getting your kids back on track with healthy eating. If you’re packing lunch, here are some tips to help ensure your child is getting proper nutrition to help them learn and grow. Think of lunch foods in terms of food groups—and make it a goal to include something from each food group. Get your kids involved in choosing and packing their lunch and they’ll be more likely to eat it.

Grains Group:  whole grain bread, pita, or crackers, leftover pasta or rice dish in a thermal container
Meat & Beans Group:  peanut butter, lean lunch meat, tuna salad, hard-boiled egg, nuts, bean chili
Milk Group:  yogurt, string cheese, low-fat pudding, and of course, milk is always available
Fruit Group:  any fresh fruit—cut or peeled to make it easy to eat, fruit cups (in juice), 100% fruit juice, dried fruit
Vegetable Group:  lettuce on a sandwich, baby carrots, celery sticks, sugar snap peas or green beans (pack a small container of salsa or dip, too)

If you pack a treat, make it something small, and limit foods that are high in sugar and low in nutrients, such as soda and candy. These tend to fill kids up before they can get the nutrients they need from healthier foods.

Need ideas for school snacks? Help your kids’ teachers by sending healthy snacks to provide nutrients that support learning. Here are just a few ideas:

String cheese
Whole grain crackers or baked chips
Trail mix (make your own with whole grain cereal, pretzels, dried fruit, and nuts)
Mini-sandwich on a dinner roll
Snack kabob with cubes of cheese and grapes
Raw veggies with low-fat dip
Low-fat granola bar or mini-muffin
Mini-waffle or bagel spread with peanut butter or cream cheese

Check out more fun and healthy snack ideas.

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