Planning and Packing Healthful Lunches

This past Saturday, the Sound Dietitians team had a blast talking about planning healthy lunches and doing some hands-on prep with kids and families at Verdant Community Wellness Center.  This was an excellent way to conclude Kids Eat Right Month and prepare for the start of school. Some of our participants will be starting classes again in just a week or two! Here are a few highlights and a favorite recipe from our class.

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Three Steps to Healthy Lunches

1.  Planning: Get kids involved in the planning process

• Brainstorm weekly lunch ideas on the weekends
• Discuss guidelines for what should make it into their lunchbox – remember all 5 food groups
• Always plan to have “growing food” (protein & whole grains), fruit, and veggies on hand
• Make lists and go grocery shopping together so kids can take pride in their selections
  

2.  Preparation: Practice food prep skills and food safety with your children

• Add fun shapes by cutting sandwiches or sliced fruit with cookie cutters
  
• Slice or peel fruit and veggies so they are easy to grab and eat without fuss
• Rinse fruit and vegetables with cool water before cutting or packing them
• Hand washing before food prep (and eating) is a must. Keep those germs away!
  

3.  Packing: Put it all together for a nutritious and safe lunch

• Use an insulated lunch box with cold packs – keep meat, dairy, or leftovers cold and safe
  
• Include lots of colors so your children can “eat the rainbow” to get important nutrients
  
• Throw in a fun surprise once in awhile, like a note or small treat
  

Packing lunches is a great time to encourage your kids to be creative and find satisfying foods and flavors. The following recipe got rave reviews from our cooking class families. It is completely customizable and is a yummy lunch option for both parents and kids.

Colorful Quinoa Confetti Bowls
This lunch option can use up quinoa from dinner leftovers and double as a side dish for other meals during the week. Quinoa is a quick-cooking whole grain as well as a complete protein source. Add more protein to keep your kiddos full longer with nuts or seeds and soy sources, such as tofu or edamame.  Vary the veggies to make this whole grain salad bowl pop with color and nutrients!

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons flavoring (Basil pesto, Balsamic vinaigrette, Italian dressing)
• ½ cup cooked quinoa
• ½ cup mixed veggies (diced cucumber, shelled edamame, chopped bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped sugar snap peas, diced avocado, sliced scallions)
• 1 Tablespoon nuts or seeds (sunflower seeds, slivered almonds, crushed walnuts)
• Optional: chopped pears or green apple, pomegranate arils, or chopped dried cherries

 
Directions

1. Add choice of flavoring to the bottom of an airtight container. Parents may also choose to pack in a mason jar.
2. Add quinoa and vegetables in alternating layers, or mix all together.
3. Right before eating, shake up the container to mix the dressing throughout (dressing can also be saved in an extra container to add on right before eating)

 
Nutrition: (for example combination – ½ C quinoa; ½ C mixed edamame/cherry tomatoes/orange bell pepper; sugar snap peas; 1 Tablespoon sunflower seeds, 2 teaspoons Balsamic vinaigrette dressing)

• Calories: 230

• Protein: 9 grams
• Total fat: 10 grams (0.75 g saturated, 2 g monounsaturated, 5 g polyunsaturated)
• Total carbohydrate: 28 grams (Dietary fiber: 6 grams)
• Sodium: 130 mg

Happy planning, prepping, and packing ~ Wishing you all an excellent start to a new school year!
 
Holly, RDN