Tips for a Healthier Lunch Box

The Basics:

1.  One serving of veggies or salad AND one serving of fruit.
2. One serving of low-fat or fat-free milk/dairy item (ie: low-fat cheese stick, yogurt, cottage cheese).
3. One serving of protein (ie: chicken, fish, eggs, peanut butter, beans).
4. Water, milk or 100% juice.

Healthy Sandwiches:

1.  Swap white bread for whole wheat varieties. 
2. Switch it up with whole wheat pitas/wraps.
3. Switch from bologna, salami, or other fatty luncheon meats to low-fat alternatives like lean turkey or chicken breast.
4. Include veggies like lettuce, cucumbers, or shredded cabbage.
5. Use peanut butter in moderation. 2 tablespoons (size of 1 ping pong ball) provides 190 calories and 16 grams of fat.
6. Use a thinner layer of peanut butter and substitute sugary jelly with banana or apple slices.
7. Skip high-fat mayonnaise.  Try something with fewer calories like mustard.

Pack a Salad:

1. Make it colorful. Use dark greens as a base then load up on bright veggies like pepper, cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots.
2. To make it a main entree, add lean protein such as chicken, beans, or hard boiled eggs.
3. Pack low-fat or fat-free dressing in a separate container to prevent it from getting mushy.

 Easy Entrees:

1. Make a cold pasta salad from whole wheat noodles left over from the previous night's dinner.
2. Mix plain brown rice with canned beans or shredded lean meat for a high dose of protein and fiber.
3. Pack hummus with fresh veggies and whole wheat pita triangles or flatbreads for dipping.
4. Include low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese with carrots, cherry tomatoes, fresh berries, or melon. These make for a calcium-rich, high-protein lunch.

Healthy Drinks:

1. If you pack juice, make sure it's 100% juice. All fruit drinks are required to list the percentage on the label.Many juice drinks contain no more than 10% juice and are mixed with a lot of sugar.
2. Water and low-fat milk are the best drinks for children.  They can be frozen to help keep foods in the lunch box cool and should be defrosted by lunch time.

Energy Snacks:

1. Swap traditional fried chips for baked chips or corn chips. (Not totally in agreement with this---this would be a sometimes food, not an often food:))
2. Pack salt-free dry-roased almonds, hazelnuts, or walnuts to provide kids with a dose of heart-healthy essential fatty acids- be sure to cap the serving at 1/4 cup since nuts are high in calories.
3. Try low-fat or light yogurt in exchange for full calorie varieties targeted at children. To avoid artificial sweeteners, pack fat-free plain yogurt with fresh fruit.
4. Select whole grain granola bars that are low in fat and sugar-take a look at the food label and choose the ones that contain less than 1g of saturated fat per serving and are no more than 35% sugar by weight.  To figure the percentage of sugar per serving, divide the grams of sugar by the gram weight of one serving and multiply by 100.
5. Aim to make snack treats occasional instead of everyday items.  A small serving of animal cracker are lower in fat and sugar than regular cookies, doughnuts, brownies and other baked goods.

Packing a Quick Lunch:

1. Piece together things that don't need preparation...whole piece of fruit, low-fat yogurt, individual packs of baby carrots, and sliced turkey wrapped in a tortilla is a great balanced lunch.
2. Save time by packing leftover rice, beans, chicken, salad, and other healthy options into lunch containers are dinnertime. 

Thank you to Empower Me for this comprehensive information. I received it at CHOP's Healthy Kids Day!

Healthy School Lunch Choices for Your Children

I posted an article from GMA yesterday and here is another good one! I generally pack Baby A dinner from the previous night with snacks like: natural applesauce, mozz cheese, fresh fruit, and sometimes goldfish or honey wheat pretzels. Mmmmm. What do you pack for your children?

Healthy School Lunch Choices for Your Children

Nutritionists, Chefs, Parents Share Tips on Packing Tasty and Healthy Meals

By KATIE MORISON

Aug. 17, 2010—

As kids head back to school, many parents struggle to come up with healthy lunch options that kids will enjoy. Here are some healthy lunch alternatives from nutritionists, chefs and "GMA" viewers.
CLICK HERE to browse all of "GMA's" kid-friendly recipes for more ideas!

School Lunch Alternatives: Experts' Advice

Beyond Peanut Butter:
There are options for children with peanut allergies. Peanut allergies don't always translate to other nuts, so some children can try almond butter. "This is a really nutritious option that allows kids to have a similar alternative," said Dr. Keith Ayoob, the director of the nutrition clinic at the Rose R. Kennedy Center in New York City.
Other peanut butter alternatives include soy nut butter, sunflower seed butter and apple butter.
*Allergies can vary by individual, so always check labels and check with your child's doctor.
Skip the Sandwich:
Experts say low-fat cheese and whole grain crackers are a great way to get your kids the calcium they need. Hard boiled eggs are also an option. Dietitian Marion Groetch of the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City says eggs are "a great source of protein and low in saturated fat."
She also suggests whole grain pasta salad and green salads.
Heather Cupp, a dietitian with Riley Hospital for Children's POWER program in Indianapolis, Ind., says there are lots of fun alternatives to the lunch sandwich. Her suggestions include:
Breakfast for Lunch: 2 tablespoons of apple butter with one medium banana sliced and sandwiched between two whole wheat waffles, 1 cup of low-fat milk, 1 cup of carrot sticks.
Tacos to Go: Two hard or soft taco shells, or one small bag of baked tortilla chips and toppings like lettuce, tomato, low-fat cheese,, beans, salsa, etc. Add one low-fat pudding cup and 1 cup of berries for dessert.
No-Bake Pizza: 1 Whole grain English muffin, 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, 1 piece of string cheese, 5 slices of turkey pepperoni, 1/2 cup of sliced sweet peppers and mushrooms. Assemble at school so the muffin does not get soggy.
Shape, Alphabet or Other Theme Meals: An "S" themed lunch could include salmon salad (instead of tuna) with crackers, sweet bell pepper slices and strawberries for a sweet end. A circle theme would have crackers, reduced fat cheese cut-outs, melon balls, cherry tomatoes and other circle foods. Or try an ocean theme: tuna salad with goldfish crackers, blue Jello, broccoli trees with dip and pineapple for dessert.

Healthy Lunch Alternatives

Sandwich Suggestions:
If your child has to have that sandwich, there are lots of good choices. Experts draw a distinction between processed meats and fresh deli meats, such as plain roast turkey or roast beef.
Start with whole grain breads, rolls, pitas and wraps, Groetch advises.
Hummus is a great alternative to processed meats, as are tuna salad, chicken salad or egg salad. Just watch the salt content and limit tuna salad to twice a week because of the mercury content.
Ayoob recommends "a slice of Mom's meatloaf slipped into a pita pocket with some lettuce and tomatoes ... or substitute some leftover chicken that's been deboned and shredded."
And for dessert, nutritionist Connie Diekman, the director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis, suggests a "fruit and yogurt smoothie enjoyed with graham crackers."
Experts note that packed lunches should always be kept chilled until eaten.

Chef's Solutions

Sarah Moulton recommends marinating very thin chicken breasts in olive oil and lemon juice and grilling them on the weekend to have for the week. She also suggests pita pizzas with low-sodium tomato sauce and low-fat unsalted mozzarella with tomato and basil and other veggies.
Rocco DiSpirito says one option is "a mini smorgasbord of veggies, fruits, cheeses and sauces." You can find containers that separate hot and cold foods and can separate sauces. Include things like carrot sticks, celery sticks, asparagus, broccoli, cherry tomatoes and low-fat string cheese with dips like marinara sauce, low-fat ranch dressing and hummus. He also recommends fruits like strawberries, cherries, grapes and peaches, with dips like low-fat cream cheese and jelly and flavored yogurts.
And "GMA's" own chef Karen Pinkus says a great healthy alternative is a white bean spread:
(1 can drained white beans, 1 clove garlic, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, chopped fresh rosemary in the food processor or mash it all up with a fork). You can serve it on bread or with crackers, cherry tomatoes, or cucumbers.

Healthy Lunch Alternatives, From Parents

Viewers sent e-mails to "GMA" with their own healthy solutions.
Kristen of Gurnee, Ill., makes her own sliced meat.
"My husband and I grill/roast chicken breasts, turkey, or roast beef," she wrote. "We then slice and freeze the meat for future sandwiches. We like this method because we are able to control (for the most part) the amount of fat and salt that is added in the cooking process."
Crystal Ottaviano of Stamford, Conn., wrote to "GMA" that she gives her daughter sunflower seed butter and jelly sandwiches. "This is not only a healthy alternative to deli meat," she wrote, "but sunflower butter has a similar taste and consistency to peanut butter, and is a safe alternative for many kids with peanut allergies."
Suzanna Quintana of Sheridan, Wyo., suggested preparing packed lunches "tapas-style, with several healthy options that are easy to munch on: celery sticks, carrot sticks, pretzels, cucumbers, natural apple sauce, whole grain crackers, dried fruit, like raisins or cranberries, cheese sticks, etc."
Another mother suggested making burritos instead of sandwiches.
"Use whole grain tortillas, smear some re-fried beans, grated cheese and taco sauce if they like it spicy," wrote Nell Justice of Las Vegas. She also suggested adding "natural apple sauce and carrot sticks to nibble on."

Copyright © 2010 ABC News Internet Ventures

Back to School Tips

I saw a good segment on GMA this morning and thought you all might like to check out Dr. Roizen's Healthy Choices for School lunches!

Back to School: Dr. Roizen Tells You to Serve Your Child -- and What to Avoid

Processed Lunch Meats are Not Healthy, Roizen Says

By SUZAN CLARKE

Aug. 17, 2010 —

As kids go back to school, they're depending on the school cafeteria or a brown bag lunch packed for convenience. But the most convenient food isn't always the most nutritious.
Dr. Michael Roizen of the Cleveland Clinic appeared on "Good Morning America" this morning to talk about the five foods that your child shouldn't have for lunch -- and the healthy alternatives.
The foods parents feed their children should demonstrate proper nutrition, provide energy and promote good health, he added.
CLICK HERE for Dr. Roizen's list of 10 web extra healthy suggestions for your kids, and CLICK HERE for healthy lunch alternatives from nutrition experts, chefs and "GMA" viewers..
CLICK HERE for Dr. Roizen's recipe for Better Chicken Fingers.

Eat This, Not That

Don't Eat: Croissant Breakfast Sandwiches, up to 900 calories and 65 grams of fat.
Roizen gives this an "F" for fattening, calling this sandwich a complete disaster. Prepackaged ham or sausage plus cheese on a croissant allows schools without kitchens to serve students a hot breakfast using minimal equipment, but this convenience comes at a cost, Roizen said.
Roizen Recommends: English muffin sandwich, up to 330 calories and 16 grams of fat.
In just three minutes you can whip up this healthy breakfast sandwich for your children with Roizen's recipe: split and toast a whole-grain English muffin. Spray a ramekin or Pyrex custard cup with a nonstick spray and fill it with one cracked egg. Scramble and microwave for 30 to 45 seconds. Top one half of the toasted muffin with the cooked egg and top with the other half to make a sandwich.
Add sliced tomato, baby spinach or another vegetable for extra credit!

Don't Eat: Doughnut, up to 300 calories, lots of refined grains and sweeteners such as high-fructose corn syrup.
The sweeteners will give you child a sugar crash later in the day, Roizen said. He warned that sometimes doughnuts are billed as being "fortified" with sprinkles, but pointed out that so-called fortification was because the sprinkles had vitamin A.
Roizen Recommends: Whole grain bagel, great source of iron, fiber and protein.
Serve your child a whole grain bagel with natural peanut butter. It's a great way to get healthy fiber, good fat and protein.
For extra credit, have your child wash down the bagel with low-fat milk. That way, your child will get a healthy dose of calcium, which is often lacking with children opt out of breakfast cereals.
Don't Eat: Processed lunch meats, which carry increased risk of heart disease and cancer.
Parents may have warm memories of crustless bologna sandwiches on white bread, but children are better off without meats that have been cured, smoked or salted. Roizen said processed meats such as bologna and salami are some of the worst things that a person can eat. That's because the preservatives with which they're made stay with people for life and are proven to increase risks for both heart disease and cancer.
Roizen Recommends: Trade luncheon meats for unprocessed ones such as turkey breast or roast beef for a low-fat boost of protein with 100 percent whole grain bread and a little lettuce or tomato.

Don't Eat: Chicken nuggets, low-quality meat with saturated fat and high sodium.
Chicken nuggets are a popular choice in high school cafeterias, but nuggets are generally made with low-quality meat and are loaded with heart-unhealthy sodium and cholesterol-raising saturated fat, Roizen said.
Roizen Recommends: Better-quality chicken nuggets. Find a brand that uses lean chicken and whole-grain breading. Oven bake them the night before, chill them, pack them and send the package to school with an ice pack, he added.
Don't Eat: Jellied fruit cups, full of added sugar and chemicals.
Popular gelatin fruit cups may be portable and kid-friendly, and the fruit within might be packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber -- but the gelatin is packed with sugar and artificial coloring.
Roizen Recommends: Go "old school" with fruit in the lunch box, but make it fun, Roizen said. He recommended that you freeze grapes or mango chunks the night before, pack them with ice and send them along for your child's lunch, or make fruit skewers. You could spear melon chunks and strawberries -- or other fruit that you prefer -- on a shish kebab stick.
For extra credit, send your Disney-loving daughter to school with fruit in a princess-themed cup. A recent study from Yale University showed that 50 percent of kids said food tasted better when it came in a package decorated with a cartoon character than it did in plain packaging.

10 More Healthy Alternatives from Dr. Roizen

Instead of: Ice cream
Have: Kefir or yogurt with live culture or spore bacteria

Instead of: Potato chips
Have: Baby carrots or celery sticks, or cut up fruit with lemon spray on them

Instead of: Fried foods
Have: Grilled, baked, or roasted foods

Instead of: Chocolate chip cookies
Have: 1/2 ounce high-quality dark chocolate

Instead of: Potato chips
Have: Air-popped popcorn

Instead of: M&M's
Have: Edamame beans

Instead of: Toffee, caramel
Have: Nuts or or cut-up fruit

Instad of: Cheez Doodles
Have: Low-fat string cheese, walnuts

Instead of: Corn chips
Have: 100 percent whole grain pretzel sticks, celery sticks, or cut-up apples

Instead of: Store-bought salad dressing
Have: Extra-virgin olive oil and either vinegar or lemon juice or both



Did you learn anything new? What tips do you have?

An Open Letter to Our Children: We're Sorry About School Lunch

An Open Letter to Our Children: We're Sorry About School Lunch

Wow, this is a powerful read....

check it out here at Simple, Good, and Tasty.


What do you think? Something needs to be done and I am very excited to see what changes are made in the next few years! Thinking about it now, I am honestly not sure if I will have Baby A buy lunch when she's older.  Time will tell.