Lunches don’t need to be Pinterest-perfect to make the grade with your kids.
Jennifer Hyland is a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic Children’s.
“The biggest thing is we want to make lunches that A. the kids are going to eat and B. going to stick with them and help fuel them throughout the day. So, my biggest tip for parents is to try to pick something from each of the food groups,” said Hyland.
Her formula for a healthy lunch is a protein, a whole grain, a dairy item, a fruit, a vegetable, and a snack or dessert. That might sound like a lot, but remember, these aren’t huge portions.
“I always tell parents as we, like, gear up for the school year to kind of plan ahead as much as you possibly can. So prepping things I love at the beginning of the week if we can, and then when you go to build the lunch, it’s just quick running through the food groups in your head. So, I say ‘Let’s build a lunch, do we have a protein, do we have a grain, do we have a fruit and veggie, do we have a dairy?” said Hyland.
Some items can also be combined. For example, you could make a sandwich or wrap, a pasta salad, and or pack leftovers from dinner.
Another option is putting together a snack box which includes deli meat, cheese, crackers, a crunchy veggie, and a fun snack your child can choose.
For younger kids, Hyland said make sure whatever you’re packing is easy to open or eat because kids don’t get much time for lunch these days.
“The more that we can have things unwrapped, ready to go, smaller things. Especially for little kids, you could even use like fun food picks in there, like little different shapes and stuff to kind of stick in their food and they can eat with that, and it can be quicker, and it can be easier for them,” said Hyland.
Examples of items for the lunch formula include:
Proteins:
- Sliced chicken breast
- Cheese cubes
- String cheese
- Mixed seeds & nuts (For example: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts)
- Hummus
- Plain yogurt
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Nut butter sandwich
- Peanut butter & jelly sandwich
- Chili (in a thermos)
Whole Grains:
- Whole-grain bread, bagels, pitas or tortillas
- Whole-grain crackers
- Whole-grain cereal
- Quinoa
Dairy Items:
(These may overlap with protein options)
- Cheese
- Plain yogurt
- Plain white milk
Fruit:
- Grapes (cut up for younger kids)
- Blueberries, raspberries or strawberries
- Apples (whole or sliced)
- Pears
- Banana
- Oranges
Vegetable:
- Baby carrots
- Cucumbers
- Cherry tomatoes
- Snap peas
- Celery sticks
- Bell pepper strips
- Cooked veggies (in a thermos)
- Salad
Snack or Dessert:
- Dark chocolate-covered raisins
- Air-popped popcorn
- Homemade oatmeal raisin cookies
- Sweet potato or kale chips
- Whole-grain tortilla chips with salsa
- Whole-grain graham crackers or pretzels
- Trail mix with nuts and dried fruit