With school back in session, many parents are back to packing lunches for their kids, which can feel overwhelming.
But it doesn’t have to.
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Jennifer Hyland, RD, registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic Children’s has some simple tips to keep in mind.
“One is to think about it by food groups and break down what you’re going to have in that lunch. So, we want to have a grain, we want to have a protein, we want to have a fruit and a veggie. We want to have a healthy fat, and or a dairy product,” said Hyland.
Hyland said it can also help to get your kids involved. Let them decide what they want from each food group.
For example, they pick turkey as their protein and an apple as their fruit.
She adds that their lunches don’t need to be complicated.
You could pack them a sandwich, wrap or pasta salad.
You could even give them leftovers from dinner the night before.
She does recommend avoiding snacky lunches though.
Specifically, foods that come from packages, like chips and crackers.
They’re not going to be filling or nutritious.
The same goes for sugary drinks.
“Kids, especially the younger kids, they’re just starting out for the first time having this full day at school, it’s a lot on them. We need to make sure that we’re giving them those nutrients to help fuel them through the day. So again, we need protein, healthy fats, they need calcium. We want to make sure that they are getting energy, they’re getting calories,” she noted.
Hyland also suggests having a weekly check-in with your child to find out what foods they enjoyed and what they ended up throwing away.
Finally, make sure whatever you pack them is easy to eat and open since they don’t get a lot of time for lunch.