How much fiber and wholesome nutrition is your child really eating throughout the school day? If you decide to take on the challenge of making them wholesome homemade lunches you can quickly boost the quality of the food they are eating. Here are three lunch ideas to help keep your child fuller longer during school hours.
Pasta
Adding a pasta salad that is traditionally served cold is a great way to use left over pasta. Choose whole wheat or high fiber varieties. Add salad dressings, small pieces of vegetables, olives, or meats. Serve this pasta in a thermos if you would like it to stay cold until lunch time. If you do not have a thermos, chill the pasta overnight. Place the pasta in a plastic container inside an insulated lunch box.
Bread
Switch the type of bread that you make sandwiches with. Become a discriminating label watcher. When you are shopping for breads, look for high fiber content. Pick up a loaf of the bread you normally purchase, and then compare it to other brands. The nutrition content is on the opposite side of the product name in the nutrition information section. Look for the number of grams of fiber. Select brands that have 2 or more grams of fiber per slice. You may save money initially with cheap white bread. However if your child needs to eat two sandwiches to feel full, it is not a bargain.
Fruits
Think about which fruits each one of your children like. Try not to pack things that they do not eat enthusiastically. Look for in season fruits that will travel well. For example peaches, pears, plums, oranges, apples, and bananas. Large fruits such melons and pineapples can be added to other fruits and presented as fruit cup. Look for small containers and make your own mix of fruit salad. Prepackaged fruit cups are available in stores. They may not be the healthiest choices available. Look on the label too see if it contains high fructose corn syrup, aspartame, artificial colors, or flavorings.
Taking just a few minutes to change the types of breads and side items in your child’s lunch can help them do better in school. Being full in the afternoon will help your children concentrate. Avoiding foods heavy in unnatural sugars can help them to not have a sugar crash and empty stomach before the school bell rings. Send an extra bottle of water to school with your child in a thermos or other reusable container to help avoid constipation. Use these tips when making healthy lunch choices for your children.
