While nothing ( in our kids' opinion) could ever replace the hot and cheesy favorite on Pizza Mondays or Fridays in the school cafeteria, we can still help balance the nutrient void there by accompanying the meal with some fresh cut up veggies, some fresh fruit, and spring water on the side.
There are many mom's who believe that their kids will not eat the colorful raw veggies in a baggie if found in their lunchbox, but this has been proven false to me over the years. My experience has been that when I would send the cut up veggies in my daughter's lunches, she would come home requesting that I pack more in the lunch, because her friends would ask her to share her veggies with them, especially when I sent in sliced cucumbers, snap peas, and orange bell peppers. These veggies seem to be tasty on their own, without the need for dips and dressings. Dips were to follow so I was very happy when humus was available in single-serve packs. Humus is very high in protein, iron, and fiber, and a perfect replacement for highly processed (chemical and hormone laden) lunch meats.
Boys, on the other hand differ... They don't usually share, they trade... Not too many boys are willing to trade their Fruit (yeah right) Gushers, for something not sugary and chemically altered. BUT, this has not stopped them from eating the veggies and fruit packed in their own lunch bags...
I ask my kids occasionally what their favorite veggies/fruits are and then I try to rotate them, so that they don't tire of eating them. Sometimes they even ask me for the canned black olives, which I happily accommodate.
Offering our children fresh cut up fruits and veggies at home for after-school and TV snacks will help them adjust to the idea of eating more of them. Offer them sweet, juicy fruit options like pineapple, mangoes, watermelon, berries, and cherries. These fruits are not only more satisfying to the sweet- lovers pallet, but chock full of anti-oxidants, fiber, vitamins, as well as enzymes which aid digestion. I just cut up the fruits and throw them into a baggie along with a plastic spork or tooth pick for handling purposes.
While many well intended people believe that they are already doing right by their kids, by adding a cup of applesauce or fruit cocktail to their child's lunch, sadly are misinformed. These so called "healthy" snacks are highly processed and denatured to the point where all the nutrients are gone and what is actually left is acidic sugar with possibly a little fiber, which can spike ones blood sugar, as well as weakening the immune system. Fruit that has been cooked is rendered acidic and is devoid of it's enzymatic life force.You can create much healthier versions of these by mixing 2-3 different kinds of fruit together like grapes and strawberries, or strawberries with pineapple and mango chunks (leftovers from your a.m. smoothie) into a baggie or small container. Kids do appreciate when food is manageable or kid friendly so pre-slicing an apple and wrapping it tightly in cling-wrap could make the difference in whether your child eats it or not.
Keeping the food visually appealing can also make or break the deal. Be creative... you can take a typically boring sandwich and re-dress it up as a wrap or place it on a whole grain roll or bagel and add a little lettuce and tomato which visually, as well as nutritionally, upgrades the sandwich. I just happen to use baby spinach greens or arugula instead of iceburg lettuce, romaine is also a good choice.
Sushi rolls, tacos, and bean burritos also are great, fun ways to get healthier ingredients into our kids and they will love you for it!
Remember, it's not always about convenience when it comes to our kids' health, but a few ounces of prevention, like making better food choices, can actually prevent pounds of cure in the long run when our kids are able to ride out the cold and flu season "In School".
Some other Lunch-Box Snack ideas:
Blue-corn chips
popcorn- (non-microwaved)
whole-grain crackers
dried or dehydrated fruit and nut mixes
healthy granola mix
healthy (home-made) naturally sweetened oatmeal cookies
