Building a Better Lunchbox

We all know our bodies perform at their peak when fueled with the foods God provided when He created the earth. Each day, the foods we choose to give our children play a large part in their ability to learn new information and control their behavior. It also gives them the stamina they need to excel in afternoon sports and activities. 

However, coming up with a quick and healthy lunch, especially one that our kids will enjoy eating, often can feel like more work than it’s worth. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be. By following these simple tips and advice, you easily can make this your child’s healthiest and tastiest school year ever. 

What is a healthy lunch? According to Dr. Heather Cardin, mama to four boys and co-owner of the Cardin Center for Wellness in Overland Park, “We need to remember that a child’s brain is 60 percent fat.  For years, we thought fat was the enemy. This is no longer the case. Be sure to power pack your child's lunch with a combination of healthy fats, clean protein and fresh produce. Healthy fat will fuel the brain and nervous system, clean protein helps build strong muscles and fresh fruits and veggies will nourish the body and maintain a strong immune system.” 

Nicole Smith, Olathe mom, kids yoga instructor and Norwex consultant, explains why a healthy lunch is so important. “I make packing my kids a healthy lunch a priority, because I know how my mood is affected when I eat an unbalanced, high-sugar meal,” she says. “I am moody, tired and uncomfortable. Packing my kids a meal that will give them energy while keeping them balanced emotionally and physically is one small thing that I can do to help them succeed.”

Here are some easy ways to make these power-packed lunches happen.

• Think beyond the sandwich: Any well-rounded combination of healthy fats, protein, fresh produce and un-processed carbs can make up a healthy lunch. Turkey and cheese rollups, homemade trail mix, granola bars, stovetop popcorn, bean and cheese quesadillas and leftover chicken are all great options for a school lunch.
• Stock your freezer: Homemade chicken nuggets, muffins, fruit, single portions of soup and waffles all can be frozen in labeled and dated freezer bags for up to three months. Reheat soups and chicken nuggets to piping hot, then pack them in a thermos-type device to send to school. Pack muffins, cookies, fruit and yogurt directly from the freezer. By the time lunch arrives, the goodies will be perfectly defrosted and ready to eat.
• Eat the rainbow: Make it a goal to feed your family all the colors of the rainbow as often as you can. We like to prepare large bowls of mixed fruit and cut up veggies to serve throughout the week. (No need to spend time slicing and dicing each morning.)
• Pick low maintenance containers: Invest in a durable, dishwasher safe bento-style box (PlanetBox.com) and a kid-sized Thermos. Trust me, you will not want to hand wash your lunch containers each and every day. 
• Finally, don’t sweat the small stuff: Lunch is only one part of your child’s daily food intake. Shelby Malin Ainley, labor and delivery nurse at Shawnee Mission Medical Center and busy mom of three, has a great approach for finding a balance between real food and treats. “I’ll admit that it’s a struggle to keep our lunches healthy, especially with three kids that all have a different set of likes and dislikes,” she says. “To keep meals balanced, I only allow one artificial sweet per day...fruit snacks, cookies, fruit roll, etc. My goal is to teach them to make healthy choices but still allow them to eat kid food too.”

The last thing you want is for lunch to become a daily power struggle. Remember, just like adults, kids are not as hungry on some days as they are on others. Start their day with a good breakfast at home, offer a wholesome after-school snack and model healthy eating at the family dinner table. As your kids continue to see you modeling your own healthy food choices, they eventually will adopt them as their own.

Katie Newell is a reformed junk food junkie turned healthy eating expert and nutrition coach. She lives in western Shawnee with her chef hubby, two sweet girls and ornery puppy. Learn more at HealthNutFoodie.com.