Right Foods Can Ensure Healthy Lunches for School

School is back in session — aren't we all excited? Well, the kids probably not so much and then there is the daunting task of making those lunches five days a week from now until June.

Creating lunches our kids will not only eat but also will be good for them is never easy and it is extremely important. Childhood obesity is at an all time high and as hard as it is for us to hear, healthy eating starts at home. 

Below are some hreat tips on creating healthy lunches our kids will hopefully put in their tummies rather than tossing in the garbage.

For starters, ask your kids what they like to eat. Ask them to create a list, read it with your child and break up their items into fruits, veggies, protein, grains, etc. This exercise will help make them feel a part of the process, teach them about the different food groups and more importantly helps you create lunches they will actually eat. Repeat the process every few months as their tastes change.

Sandwiches

• Stick to whole grain bread. It's more nutritious and has more vitamins and minerals than white bread.
• Avoid high-fat, high-sodium lunch meats like pastrami, bologna, ham, and beef. Opt for turkey or chicken breast.
• Use all natural peanut butter or give almond butter a try. It's healthier than peanut butter and a great source of protein.
• If your kids just aren't sandwich eaters, don't skip the protein. It helps maintain steady blood sugar levels which will make it easier for kids to stay focused at school. Fish, beans, nuts, cheese and tofu are great alternative sources of protein.

Fruits & Veggies

• Make fruits and veggies easy to munch by cutting them into bite-sized pieces. Choose fresh, dried or canned with no added sugar.
• Prepare your fruits and veggies at the beginning of each week. It not only makes lunch making faster but will be easier for everyone in your family to grab a quick, healthy snack after school or work instead of reaching for a bag of chips or cookies.

For a list of our "Dirty Dozen/Clean 15" fruits and vegetables, please email FitForLife@MyStrongerSelf.com.

Skip the chips

• It's very easy to pack a sack of chips, but skip it. They are so bad for us. At the very least opt for pretzels instead of potato chips or Doritos.
• If your kids insist on something crunchy, send along healthy crackers and cheese, trail mix, or carrots and dip. Stick to your guns, they will get used to it.

Drinks

• It takes calcium to build strong bones. Calcium is especially important during the tween and teen years, when bones are growing their fastest. So pack milk or let them buy it.
• If they're just not milk drinkers, pack yogurt or cheese to so they get their calcium in and encourage them to drink water.
• Avoid juice boxes. Even all natural juice are high in sugar.

Keep it interesting

• Cut their sandwiches into fun shapes using cookie cutters.
• Instead of bread, try whole grain mini bagels, tortillas or pita pockets.
• Pack peanut or almond butter or yogurt dippers for their fruit.
• To shake things up, pack dry cereal with dried fruit and nuts or make fruit kabobs.
• Treats are fine in moderation. Instead of a bag of cookies or the latest Hostess treat, replace those treats with a mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cup or a mini Snickers. Or maybe try a couple of Starbursts, Tootsie Rolls or a stick of gum. It will be a nice change of pace, a lot less calories and fat in their diet and put a smile on their face.
• Try something new. Here's a great article that has some fun, healthy recipes your kids will love.

Stay the course

It may be an adjustment for your kids at first, just be consistent in your message and what you put in their lunches. But, the most important tip of all, practice good nutrition yourself. The best way for a child to develop good nutritional habits is for you, as an adult, to live a healthy lifestyle. Children learn by association.

What healthy and fun things do you pack in your kids' lunches? Please answer in comments.