Healthy Eats for Back to School
Depending on where in the country you live, your child or grandchild’s first day back-to-school may have already come and gone. For others of you, that dreaded (or dreamed of) day is looming close. With the return to formal education at the summer’s end, there is always the required task of supplying lunchtime sustenance. Now before you jump back into your old “lunchbox routine”, can we have a chat?
For motivation in terms of healthy food gathering and preparation, parents need to remind themselves why it is your children attend school (or are homeschooled)—to enrich their minds and their bodies! That said, you have a responsibility, as the providers of their “fuel”, to make sure their brains and bodies have the necessary “power foods” to keep their performance humming at an optimal level.
If you fail to keep your focus on the “high-test fuel” your kids require for superior performance, packing lunches and snacks can start off great at the beginning of the year, but then degrade to a baloney sandwich on white bread accompanied by pudding pack and a sugary drink box by the year’s end. This just won’t do! Your precious kids deserve every chance at academic achievement in their schooling, and you, mom or dad, are in the unique position to give them what their bodies need.
For continued success—on your part and theirs—mix and match items from these 4 healthy food group lists and fill their stomachs up with performance enhancing fuel.
LEAN PROTEINS
- Turkey (Try roasting and thin slicing a turkey breast. Bone in tastes the best.)
- Chicken (strips of chicken breast meat or baked drumsticks)
- Pork (slices of tenderloin go a long way)
- Hard boiled eggs (peeled)
- Hummus
- Protein bars (brands like Clif®, Zone®, Luna®, Kind® or Larabar®)
- Greek yogurt (low sugar varieties)
HEALTHY FATS
- Nuts
- Nut butters
- Avocados
- Low fat cheese sticks or cottage cheese packs
COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES
- Whole or sprouted grain breads, wraps
- Pasta (variety with a low glycemic index)
- Granola bars (low sugar, high fiber)
- Bean salad (chickpeas, Great Northern, pink, black, etc.)
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
- You’ve got this—just remember, think depth of color and high in fiber!
So, leave the white bread, chips, and Twinkies® in the store for the less fortunate eaters. This year it’s time to help your family eat well, learn well, and be well!