Lunchtime! Pack the perfect school meals

Sandwiches, sides and drinks to keep your child nourished all day long

As parents we are all so concerned about what nutrition our children gets to keep them energized the whole day. When our kids rush to schools/ colleges in the morning there isn't enough time for us to make sure if they've had a proper breakfast. Thats why we actually take some extra trouble to pack a good mid day meal to ensure optimum nutrition. A good lunch is a balanced one, formed around a dependable main course and punctuated with a solid supporting cast of nutrient-packed sides, a low- or no-calorie drink, and even a little treat.

Listed below are some tips to pack a perfect lunch for your loved ones.


Dependable drink
This is a high-stakes decision that few parents really think about. Considering the fact that many kids’ beverages have nearly as much sugar per ounce as soft drinks, tossing the wrong drink in the lunchbox could translate into 3 to 5 extra pounds by the end of the school year. Drinks should be either zero- or low-cal (water, diet drinks), high in nutrition (milk, 100 percent juice), or both (tea). Here are the best picks, in descending order.

• Water
• Lightly sweetened iced tea, like Honest Tea®
• Low-fat milk
• 100 percent juice drinks
• Low-calorie kids’ drinks, like Minute Maid® Fruit Falls™ and Tropicana® Fruit Squeeze

Sturdy anchor
Avoid a lunch built on refined carbohydrates, as the intake of quick-burning carbs will leave your kid with an energy and attention deficit for the rest of the day. Focus instead on protein, fiber, and healthy fats that will help keep your kid satisfied, keep his metabolism running high, and provide some meaningful nutrition along the way.


For sandwiches
Meats should be lean (no salami or bologna), breads should be whole wheat, and condiments should be used sparingly.

• Turkey or roast beef and Swiss sandwich on wheat bread (sans mayo, but loaded with produce, if you can get away with it)
  
• Sliced ham, cheese, and Triscuits®
• PB&J (made on whole-wheat bread with a pure-fruit jelly like Smucker’s® Simply Fruit®)
• Thermos of hot soup
• Grilled chicken breast
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Tuna or cubed chicken tossed with light mayo, mustard, celery, and carrot

Sides with substance

Only one in four kids consumes the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, so pack a lunch sans produce and you’re missing a golden opportunity to slip some much-needed nutrients back into their diets. As long as you have at least one piece of fruit or a serving of vegetables, adding a second crunchy snack is fine.

• Carrot sticks
• Celery sticks
• Apple slices with peanut butter
• Fruit salad; banana, pear, peach, or any other whole fruit
• Grapes
• Olives
• Almonds and raisins (mixed 50-50)
• Triscuits®
• Small bag of pretzel sticks or Goldfish® pretzels
• Baked! Lay’s®