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Dietitians Dish – August 19, 2019

Pack lunches that make the grade!

Making sure our kids have a healthy, balanced lunch and snacks to fuel them through their classes and afterschool activities is important. But, packing items they like and parents feel good about can be a challenge. Get your family into a routine of packing lunches they won’t trade.

Packing Lunch

The key is to involve them in planning and packing!
  • Let kids provide a list of lunch items and select those that are parent-approved
  • Buy a variety from the list and organize by bins in the pantry and fridge
  • Use the weekend to prep – clean/chop and pack/store in single servings
  • Think finger foods and mix-n-match
  • Use MyPlate as a model – include something from each food group
Snacks

Safety of food in a packed lunch is a concern, even with an ice pack. Some additional items which could be frozen and thaw by lunchtime include yogurt, bottled water, grapes, cheese cubes, etc.

If school is a nut-free zone, try sunflower seed butter instead. It has twice the amount of fiber than traditional peanut and nut butters.

PB & Fruit Roll-Ups

Ingredients:

  • 1 banana, mashed
  • 2 tsps. honey
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium peanut butter
  • 2 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas
  • 10 grapes, quartered
  • 4 strawberries, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
PB & Fruit Roll-Ups

Directions:

  • Mix banana, honey and peanut butter in small bowl.
  • Spread onto tortilla and layer with grapes and strawberries. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
  • Roll up tortilla, slice into 1-inch thin slices and serve.
  • Add a side of veggies (raw with dip or hummus) and dairy (cheese cubes or yogurt) for a MyPlate meal.