By Christine Haran
To some parents, packing a healthy lunch that their child will eat and enjoy seems like an impossibly tall order. But nutrition experts say that such a feat can be achieved, especially if the child is involved in choosing the items that will fill their lunchbox.
"The biggest mistakes parents make are not taking the child's food preferences into consideration or just packing what the child wants and not taking paying attention to the nutrition content," says Jeannie Moloo, RD, a Roseville, California-based registered dietician in private practice and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "A compromise has to be made so that the child is involved but the parent is ensuring variety and balance."
Nutritional Needs
While many school cafeterias around the country have made considerable efforts to provide healthier lunches, Moloo says that parents do have more control over the nutrition content of their child's lunch if they pack it at home.
Before making a lunch, parents may need a reminder of their child's daily nutrition needs. According to the American Medical Association, children between 6 and 10 require about 1,800 to 2,400 calories a day. Broken down by food group, this should include two cups of low-fat milk, two servings of meat or a meat alternative, such as tofu, six servings of whole-grain pastas, cereals and breads, and at least five servings of fruits and vegetables.
Nutritional needs rise as the child ages. So girls entering puberty, between ages 10 and 12, need between 2,000 and 2,600 calories a day, while boys over age 12 need about 2,300 to 2,900 calories a day. This should translate into two to three cups of low-fat or skim milk, two to three servings of meat or a meat alternative, 11 servings of whole-grain breads, cereals or pastas and at least five servings of fruits and vegetables.
What's for Lunch?
In order to pack a lunch with the most nutritional punch, Moloo says that parents should focus on high-protein foods, which are particularly crucial to the body's tissues during periods of growth, and complex carbohydrate foods such as whole-grain breads, which the body breaks down slowly for sustained energy.
The easiest way to create healthy and appealing lunch five days a week, Moloo says, is for patients and children to create a list of their favorite foods by food group. For example, they can make a list of favorite breads such as pita, tortillas or whole-grain breads; their favorite fillings such as low-fat cream cheese, hummus, peanut butter or deli meat; and their favorite fruits and vegetables such as dried fruits, unsweetened applesauce and even cooked peas served cold.
"What seems to work really well is to have children have some ownership, and then they can mix and match from the lists," says Moloo. "It's a nice, creative way to get children involved."
When it comes to drinks, parents are strongly advised to avoid sodas because they have no nutritional value and because one 12-ounce can of soda can contain almost a quarter of a cup of sugar. Instead, Moloo recommends packing a bottle of water, 100 percent fruit juice or low-fat or non-fat milk. Chocolate- and strawberry-flavored milk, which contains calcium and protein, is still a better choice than soda or a fruit drink with less than 10 percent fruit juice.
Because children need to refuel at least every three to four hours, afternoon snacks should also be packed, particularly if a child is involved in an after-school program. For sustained energy, Moloo suggests fruit-flavored yogurt, nuts, string cheese and crackers, or a dry non-sugar cereal with milk.
Did Julie Trade Her Apple for a Twinkie?
Moloo says it's OK to include some fatty items in your child's lunch, as long as they're balanced out by nutritious items. "The children are going to seek them out, so it's better to pack some treats rather than have them attack the vending machines," she says. Some healthy options are a small bag of tortilla chips, low-fat pudding and flavored yogurt.
Even if you pack a food that caters to your child's sweet tooth, how do you know little Johnny ate everything else in his Harry Potter lunchbox? According to Moloo, the best thing to do is to have your child bring home their half-eaten and uneaten foods, and the wrappers, in their lunchbox.
"Parents need to remember to be flexible," Moloo says. "Not everything has to be packed with vitamins and minerals, and treats now and then are fine. Just make sure that you pack at least three wholesome items in every lunch. The more children are exposed to healthy foods, the more likely they are to eat them."
Ten Healthy Bag-lunch Ideas:
- Pita pocket with 1/2 cup of child's favorite veggies, chopped. Add a small handful of grated cheese and then stir together with favorite low-fat salad dressing (Ranch dressing often works well). To prevent sogginess, put the filling and dressing in small sealed containers and let the child fill the pocket herself at lunch. For a change, put tuna salad in a pita pocket. To round out lunch, send 1/4 cup favorite nuts and a small container of unsweetened applesauce.
- Thermos of favorite soup, cornbread with honey and an apple.
- Bran muffin, container of favorite fruited yogurt, strawberries and carrot sticks.
- Soft tortilla wrapped around cheese sticks, orange wedges and small container of cooked peas.
- Peanut butter on banana bread or whole-grain bagel (mini-size is fun) and serve with cucumber slices and a small box of raisins.
- Hard-boiled egg, low-fat muffin, carrot sticks, and grapes.
- Thermos of vegetable soup, cheese and crackers, box of raisins.
- Low-fat cream cheese on a whole-grain bagel, orange juice, and veggie sticks.
- If your child likes cold pizza, send a slice of leftover pizza with carrot sticks and grapes.
- Pack child's favorite yogurt and have them add to it 1/2 cup of low-fat granola or another healthy, low-sugar containing, crunchy cereal along with a choice of raisins, walnuts, or sunflower seeds. To round out lunch, also send a slice of raisin bread and an apple.
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