Food for Thought : How to pack a healthy school lunch

Back to school  is here  , lots of kids will carry their lunches , so we want them to be nutritious and taste good . I live in a family community  my son's wife calls a compound , in during this post I decided to do a survey because we have kids  from infant  to college  so getting information was easy .

Leave the Little Debbie cakes out of it and forget the white bread. It’s time for a lunchbox makeover. Just as having the proper school supplies is important, so is having the proper nutrition to give children the fuel they need to power through the day.

Shelly Marie Redmond, (my daughter's niece) registered dietitian in Shreveport, said parents typically sabotage their children’s packed lunch in three ways.

"We usually put in food that is high in sugar, low in fiber, and then we make it boring," she said.

Capri Sun bagged drinks have been popular with parents for years, but the amount of sugar inside might make moms and dads think twice. Redmond said a small Capri Sun contains 4½ teaspoons of sugar. Sodas contain nearly double the amount of sugar, she adds.

"If you give them change to go buy a soda pop, you’re looking at about eight teaspoons of sugar there," Redmond said.

Rachel Smith, (daughter's nephew wife) fills her three kids’ lunch boxes with ham or peanut butter sandwiches, grapes and strawberries, Goldfish or Cheez-It crackers and water with Crystal Light flavoring to add.

"I just try to stay away from junk food," she said.

To help nix a boring lunch, add plenty of color by including bright fruits and vegetables or cutting up sandwich wraps into pinwheels.

Chrissie Purcell (another niece) tries to liven up her kids’ lunches with fun notes.

"I put a silly joke in my oldest’s bag, and my youngest is just learning to read so I write a simple note of something I love about him," she said.

To help young children understand the healthy components of their lunch, Redmond suggests describing the lunch box as their castle with a king, a queen, a princess and a joker. The king is their protein, the queen is their fiber, the princess is their light and healthy sides and the joker is the sweet treat that will likely be their favorite.

Here is a guide to packing a healthy lunch that no child will want to trade.
The King:
"Protein is known to work with our muscles, which is very important because it’s going to give kids sustained energy," Redmond said.

Use lean meats such as turkey, ham and roast beef and avoid bologna and salami. For peanut butter, the choice that has no hydrogenated oil is Skippy Natural Peanut Butter. For cheese, Laughing Cow cheese wedges because it doesn’t have to be refrigerated.
The Queen:
Fiber keeps us full. Avoid white bread and instead opt for whole wheat wraps (tortillas) or whole wheat bread. Choose fruit with skin such as grapes, plums or peaches. Redmond recommends packing berries, because they are "brain" food. If packing fruit cups, choose cups with no sugar added or fruit in its own juice. Pack veggie sticks such as carrots and celery because they are less messy.
The Princess:
Try Goldfish pretzels or plain trail mix with almonds and dried fruit. Avoid trail mix that contains candy or yogurt-covered raisins. When packing a beverage, choose water or Hershey’s chocolate milk. If your child is stuck on juice boxes, Redmond suggests trying Minute Maid Kids juice boxes, which add calcium and other vitamins.

"If you can’t find that, then look for the 100 percent juice drinks," she said. "Parents need to keep in mind that 100 percent juice drinks are going to be a little bit more tart than their counterpart."
The Joker:
The golden rule is to pack a dessert that is no more than 100 calories. Look for fun, squeezable yogurts or low fat, low sugar pudding cups. Small rice crispy treats and ginger snaps are also a healthy choice.

Make sure to include a protein, a fiber, a light side and a sweet treat when packing lunches.

Words of Wisdom:
A fanatic is someone who redoubles his efforts after he's lost his sense of  vision.
Humor is a funny business . It will get them laughing . Then you can hit them in the teeth without bustin' their lip . (laughing my butt off).
A proud garndpa .    G.