Lunchbox Woes Solved: The 4 to 1 Method
Just a few weeks into the school year and already out of ideas for school lunch? Try the 4-to-1 method (4 healthy, whole foods, and 1 treat). Post this list on your fridge, and then select one item from each category for the lunchbox. (Packing in a divided Bento box helps keeps everything separate and doesn't produce as much waste as packing everything in baggies.)
You and your children can work together to add to these lists with items they love as well.
Protein/grain combo: tuna in whole-wheat pita, turkey and avocado on whole-wheat bread, ham and lettuce on rye, cheese and whole-grain crackers, peanut butter and jelly on whole-wheat tortilla, hard-boiled egg, slice of cold pizza, spiral pasta with chick peas, soup in a thermos
Dairy: plain low-fat milk, flavored low-fat milk (chocolate, strawberry, vanilla) yogurt cup, kefir, yogurt smoothie, string cheese stick, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese with cinnamon and honey
Fruit: apple slices, banana, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, melon cubes, pear, kiwi slices, nectarine, applesauce, mango, pineapple, plum, fruit cup in its own juice, 100-percent fruit juice
Veggie: cherry tomatoes, bell pepper strips, baby carrots, broccoli florets, cucumber slices, celery sticks, spinach salad, coleslaw, pickled beets, cold corn in vinaigrette dressing, mashed sweet potatoes with cinnamon
Treat: snack-size candy bar, homemade cookie, popcorn, pretzels, baked chips, dried fruit and nuts, granola bar, cereal bar, homemade fruit muffin, graham crackers, pudding cup, dry cereal
For some unique menu ideas and recipes for little ones, check out Weelicious.com and don't miss Beth Bence Reinke's article "Healthy School Lunches" in the October 2010 issue of ParentLife.
What is your child's favorite lunchbox menu?
Comments (1)
Thanks for sharing this info with blog readers, Jessie and Jodi. After a month of packing lunches already, this is about the time new ideas come in handy. :o)
Looking forward to the article in ParentLife!
Posted on October 7, 2010 8:08 AM