Let’s be honest. It’s a tough gig to pack daily school lunches that are fun, look appealing and will give kids the boost they need to make it through afternoon classes. We rounded up three local experts—all moms—who know a thing or two about kids’ nutrition to share their best ideas for packing fun, healthy lunches.
THE EXPERTS
Kacey Morrow is a mom of two and a registered dietitian at SuNu Wellness. She’s got high standards for nutrition and wellness, but Morrow knows that perfection isn’t reality. She’s about encouraging clients to “incorporate healthy ingredients but still make food fun and decadent and enjoy that part of your life.” Knowing that so many Americans struggle with food, Morrow is cautious about pushing nutrition too far or making families feel restricted or overwhelmed. “There’s so much information out there… but you have to ask yourself, ‘What’s right for my kids?’ ”
She will often bring her own kids to the grocery store or a farmers market and let them in on the fun of picking out new and exciting fruits and veggies. They’ll return home and begin asking each other, “How do we cook it? Cut it? Eat this? Let’s figure it out together!” she says. Discovering healthy foods together adds excitement and a willingness to try new things.
Cyndie Hibbs, pediatric nurse practitioner at Wayzata Children’s Clinic, is a mom of three. Her M.O. is keeping the kitchen filled with healthy choices and training kids’ taste buds early. She says if kids haven’t eaten a variety of fruits and veggies from a young age, it’s going to be a hard sell to get them to eat a lunch filled with kale and blueberries. Kids are also highly visual, so appearance and presentation count.
“My goal is to motivate children to make healthy choices on a daily basis while enjoying their food and activities,” says Hibbs. “I often coach parents on healthy choices and ideas to help kids feel like they have the power over making good choices for themselves as they grow into healthy adults. I focus on the family as well as the child. I think that if the family eats together and offers good healthy choices, the children are more likely to model these behaviors at school and with their friends.”
She’s seen an increase in the number of parents making healthier choices for their families but says convenience often still trumps quality. “I think the choices are there but I think the convenience needs to be improved. McDonald’s is still easy, cheap and kids like it. I wish there were better options for healthier foods for busy families,” Hibbs says.
Kathryn Hernke, mom of three, is a registered dietitian and nutritionist at the Marsh. She says it’s the parents’ job to think about the type of food and timing of what their kids get, but it’s up to the kids to determine portion size. It seems counterintuitive, but she says it works. “If kids fill up on the good things first, they won’t overdo the unhealthy foods,” says Hernke.
She also says wellness isn’t just about the food. “I view a holistic lifestyle as a journey to balance ourselves physically, emotionally and spiritually (all of which have a nutrition component) within the world we live,” she says. “It’s about learning to respect our journey as uniquely ours, and being confident we are putting adequate but not excessive energy into nutrition.”
Meal Building Blocks:
Protein, Fats and Fiber
“It’s all about blood sugar. When it drops, kids get fidgety, irritated, they can’t concentrate,” says Kacey Morrow, mom of two and a registered dietitian. Her suggestion? Include protein, fat and fiber at every meal—even at school. It’ll keep kids feeling full, with stable blood sugar and energy to spare throughout the day. Morrow explains that it’s often the body’s reaction to low blood sugar that triggers hyperactivity, difficulty paying attention, and even ADHD-type behaviors.
Elementary Schooler
Think finger foods and tradition. Younger kids like to know what they can expect. Try intro- ducing “Meatless Mondays” or “Taco Tuesdays” this year.
Food: Black beans, red pepper slices, cheese squares and watermelon slices
Gear: Rubber band an ice pack onto a Bento box.
Middle Schooler
Kathryn Hernke suggests, “As children get older, have them start to pack a portion of their lunch, moving toward them packing all of it. Go from a ‘parents pack your food’ to a ‘here is what you can use in the kitchen for your lunch’ philosophy.” She says it’s important to ask kids for their input—with increasing involvement and attention to their preferences as they get older.
And never underestimate the social factors at play in middle school. “Tweens gravitate toward what everyone else has… or the exact opposite,” says Hernke.
Food: Black beans and cheese on a corn or flour tortilla toasted at home, wrapped and packed to eat at school. Include a container of chilled salsa and plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, red pepper and carrot slices, and watermelon.
Gear: Lunch box with an ice pack.
High Schooler
Teens should have much greater input into their lunches, within reason. Cyndie Hibbs acknowledges that many high school students refuse to pack a lunch. So part of the battle is figuring out healthy options that are available at school.
Food: Quesadilla fillings (black beans, roasted vegetables, cheese) kept hot in Thermos with corn or wheat tortillas on the side, container of salsa and Greek yogurt or sour cream, red peppers and watermelon kept chilled.
Gear: Lunch box with an ice pack.
TIP:
Need to pack an after-school pick-me-up? Try a Thermos with a smoothie made of Greek yogurt and berries. Up the portion size for older kids, and try different combinations of fruits, veggies and flavored yogurts.
Healthy Lunch Resources
Don’t go it alone. Check out these resources that are right down the road—or at your fingertips.
100 Days of Real Food
This site has resources that take the guesswork out of the early-morning fridge dash. Narrow down your choices to eliminate dairy, eggs, nuts or gluten, and there are also vegetarian options and hot-meal options that will keep your kids’ Thermos rockin’ well into soup season. Or sign up for free meal plan emails, and they’ll come right to you.
Whole Life Nutrition
This site has tons of family-friendly cookbooks and articles about kids’ nutrition. Check out the printable cheat sheet on creating the perfect smoothie.
The Marsh
This club has child care, healthy snacks and meals available on-site, plus they offer resources for families wanting a nutrition makeover. Schedule a 30- or 60-minute consult with dietitian Kathryn Hernke to ask questions and develop a game plan for success in your family’s food journey.
Pinterest
There are heaps of healthy cooking bloggers out there to help fill your feed with inspiration and accountability. (While you’re cleaning out your digital fridge, maybe lose the Cookie du Jour feed. #ThanksButNoThanks)
Operation Get FIT
Based at the Wayzata Children’s Clinic, this program can help kids get fit and eat well. Each patient gets personalized guidance on exercise, nutrition, maintaining a healthy weight, manageable recipe ideas and more.
Your Friends
Find out what other parents are packing and what’s working for other kids. Share those deceptively-delicious-but-healthy recipe wins. You can learn a lot from one another.
