A healthy diet for any kid revolves around plenty of veggies and fruits, as well as protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates sources. When at home, you make sure your precious little angel gets every nutrient he needs, even though you allow him to eat unhealthy products as well, such as cakes and fast food.
But when he’s at school, do you know what he eats? If his school has a cafeteria, you may want to make sure your kid chooses (mostly) healthy, nutritious foods, and doesn’t go for, on a daily basis, fast food and vending machine items.
But what about when you have the liberty to pack your little one his school lunch? What kind of food could you go for so that your kid doesn’t become tempted by unhealthy options?
Take a look at the following healthy school lunch ideas for kids and pay attention to some useful tips, as well!
Ideas for School Lunches: Help Your Kid to Choose the Right Food
If your kid eats lunch everyday at the school’s cafeteria, it is very important to teach him to choose the right, healthy food.
But how do you achieve this goal? First of all, go through the cafeteria menu with him. This way, you’ll be able to tell what are the healthy options available, and also suggest healthy lunch ideas for school, based on your kid’s preferences, as well.
More precisely, encourage your little one to eat as many fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean meats as he can, and to drink healthy beverages, such as water, tea and low-fat milk. Teach him the negative consequences of unhealthy eating, but don’t adopt a gloomy tone. Your precious angel is just a kid, after all!
Does your kid’s favorite foods include unhealthy school lunch ideas? Don’t be too harsh and allow him to eat them every now and them. If you prohibit him from indulging in such pleasures, you will only make him want them more – and most likely make him eat them behind your back.
Healthy School Lunch Ideas: Packed Lunch
Even if your kid’s school has a cafeteria, he doesn’t have to eat there on a daily basis. To make sure your child gets the nutrients he needs, pack him lunch at least every once in a while – or even a couple of times per week, depending on your availability.
Pay attention to what your kid likes to eat at home and start from there. More often than not, though, you will have to go for an easy-to-pack school version of what your child loves to eat.
Try healthy sandwiches and salads. If you’re look for healthy lunch ideas for school when it comes to sandwiches, you should know that an amazing option is a tomato and mozzarella sandwich. You will need whole grain bread, low-fat butter, ripe tomatoes and mozzarella slices to make 2 tasty sandwiches for your kid’s lunchbox.
You may also go for cold, healthy pizza with mozzarella, pizza sauce and whole grain pita. For a healthy dessert, fill some crackers with either jelly or peanut butter.
If you want to make sure your kid eats vegetables and fruits on a daily basis, include a couple of them in his lunchbox. Make them look appealing and easy to grab and eat by chopping them or by going for small versions – tiny carrot sticks and cherry tomatoes are the best!
The apple that keeps the doctor away is a top choice for healthy school lunch ideas, but your kid might get bored after a while. Instead, alternate with his other favorite fruits, be they cherries, bananas, pears or grapes.
Do you want to make sure he gets the calcium he needs? Try packing yogurt or a small bottle of milk. But not if his food won’t be kept in the proper environment, at an adequate temperature. In this case, prepare him meals with spinach, kale, turnip greens, crab, shrimp and other calcium-rich foods.
When it comes to school lunch ideas, you should definitely not forget about the wrapping: a healthy lunch, especially if it’s not made exactly of what your kid likes to eat, needs to be packed into an attractive lunchbox. Go for one as colorful and as funny as possible!
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