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Gone
are the days of brown bags lunches with peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches, cookies and milk for dessert and a leftover apple that
could not be traded for something better.
 Today's
myriad of tempting fat-laden fast food options makes it difficult
to compete for your child's appetite unless you fill the lunchbox
with enticing healthy options. Setting a good example at the dinner
table is the best prescription for establishing healthy eating habits
for your family.
People
who develop poor habits as children tend to continue those patterns
into adulthood. The risk of coronary artery disease, cancer and
stroke can all be lowered with a healthy, low-fat diet.
Introducing
a diet high in grains, fruits and vegetable with fast food in moderation,
can help parents model good behaviors that children will use for
the rest of their lives.
Children
should help make their own lunches once they are old enough. Kids
who are involved in the preparation are far more likely to eat everything
in their lunch boxes. It's also a good idea to provide a variety
of healthy options and let the children decide what they want for
lunch that day.
Lunch
does not have to be limited to cold sandwiches. The more creative
and flexible the choices, the easier it is to incorporate food groups
based on the USDA food pyramid.
If
your child has access to a microwave at school, leftovers from the
night before are a good choice. A lunch box with a thermos to keep
foods warm and a ice pack to keep foods cold will also extend your
options. The key is finding foods that are fun for kids and nutritious.
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Some
brown bag ideas incorporating all food groups
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| Grains |
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 One
serving of grains includes 1 slice bread; 1/ 2 bagel; 3-4
crackers; 1 low fat grain based granola bar.
When
you are tired of plain sandwich bread, pita bread, bagels,
tortilla wraps, potatoes, rice, leftover pasta, a slice of
pizza, popcorn cakes, crackers, pretzels, 3-4 cookies, even
dry cereal are good options. 
The
key is to try to include 2-3 servings of grains at lunch time.
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Fruits
 Apples,
oranges, bananas can be exchanged for fruits that are in season
like mango or strawberries.
Try
a slice of pineapple on a ham and cheese sandwich. 
Dried fruit like apricots and apples are sweet tasting and
have lots of nutrients.
One serving of fruit includes one medium piece of fruit or
6 ounces of juice.
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Vegetables
 Carrots,
jicama, bell pepper and broccoli are good for dipping in
low fat ranch dressing.
A vegetable soup is a good way to get a serving of vegetables.
Top sandwiches with tomatoes, lettuce, sprouts, cucumbers
or onions.
One serving of vegetables includes 1/2 cup of raw or cooked
vegetables or 6 ounces of vegetable juice.
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Dairy
 Dairy
products are a good source of calcium, which is needed for
strong bones and teeth.
 One
serving of dairy products includes 8 ounces milk or yogurt
or 1-1/2 ounces cheese.
Milk-based pudding and chocolate milk are nice treats once
in a while.
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Meat
Choose
1-2 ounces of a lean sandwich meat. Change
your selection of lean meats every day for variety.
 Good
meat substitutes are beans, tuna fish, eggs, cheese, nuts,
peanut butter, almond butter, hummus.
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How
Does Salt Fit Into Your Diet?
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Most of the salt we eat comes in the form of sodium
chloride (NaCl); known by most of us as table salt.
Most
people get more than they need, so it's best to use
salt in moderation.
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tips on how to limit salt intake: |
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Eat fewer highly salted snack foods.
- Check
the labels when shooping and choose foods that are
unsalted or lower in salt or sodium.
- Use
less salt when cooking and at the table
- Taste
foods before adding salt.
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