Watch above: With kids getting ready to head back to school, Brooke Bulloch from Food to Fit looks at ways to keep school lunches nutritious.
SASKATOON – For parents of school aged children, back-to-school means it’s once again time to start packing bagged lunches. Registered dietitian Brooke Bulloch stresses that your kids will be more likely to eat all of their lunch if they are involved in planning.
“Sometimes it seems easier for mom and dad to just do it for them, but it really is good for them to get involved.”
Setting up a routine and having a chart with your child’s favourite healthy foods can assist in planning. Giving each child a blank template where they can put in their choice for each of the food categories helps with the planning.
“For me a healthy lunch includes a fruit, vegetable, protein and whole grain,” said Bulloch who added that it is fine if your child has one or two go to food choices.
READ MORE: How to keep your family organized heading into a new school year
A large portion size can also be daunting for a child. Bulloch stresses packing what you know will be eaten.
When it comes to proteins, which includes both meat and alternatives group and milk and alternatives groups, its important to think outside the box. While a deli meat sandwich may be convenient, it is not the most nutritious options. Some different options for this group could include hummus with veggies, yoghurt, or a left over quesadillia.
Many schools have allergy restrictions, making it important to check with your school before sending anything with peanuts or other nuts. However, for the child who will eat nothing but peanut butter, there is the option of a legume based supplement, such as Wow Butter, or a different nut butter like sunflower seed butter.
Bulloch says when thinking about grains to leave granola bars out of the category. They fall more into a treat or dessert section, which is fine as long as they are limited.
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