One of the keys to success is ensuring a child’s lunchbox is not only packed with food they will eat but also packed with food that provides them with nutrients that that give them the energy to make it through the day.
Here are some of my tips on how to POWER UP YOUR CHILDS LUNCHBOX
Fruits & Veggies: Try to add a different fresh vegetable or fruit a week to your child’s lunchbox. They pack several of the vitamins and minerals their bodies need. Make it fun! Grab a piece of zucchini, squash, and cucumber and a vegetable peeler. Peel away long strips making the vegetables look like spaghetti and toss them in a little vinegar and olive oil. Buy some 3 inch wood skewers, cut an apple into wedges, squeeze a little bit of lemon on the apple to prevent browning and thread the apples onto the skewers, cut up some fresh strawberries and add them to a blender along with a dash of honey, water, and fresh mint for a tasty apple dip!
Try a wrap instead of bread: Replace the white bread with a whole wheat tortilla or pita. Spread it with a hummus or low-fat mayo and instead of the processed lunch meat that is usually full of salt save some of the chicken or beef you cooked for dinner, chop or slice it up, add a cucumber, lettuce, or tomato and BOOM! A healthy sandwich filled with protein and fiber
Chips: Chips are one of the most popular snacks in our child’s lunchbox, but most are loaded with sodium and other food additives we can’t pronounce. Look for low to no sodium potato or tortilla chips and add your own herb & spices. I love adding a mix of dried garlic powder, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon with a dash of salt to my no sodium tortilla chips!
Switch up the yogurt: Yogurt is packed with protein and calcium, but so many are high in sugar and fat. Greek yogurt is a healthier alternative. Grab some and a little honey along with chopped up strawberries, bananas or your child’s favorite fruit!
Drinks: Many of the so called juice drinks are loaded with sugar and may give your child a spike in energy but also provide a crash that has them filling drained by the end of the day. H20 is the way to go! Most of us fall short of consuming the recommended 8 cups of water a day. Your child doesn’t like the taste of water? Try mashing up their favorite fruit like blackberries, blueberries or strawberries with agave, honey or 100% maple syrup.
Make it a team effort: Include your child in the plan. Tell them why they need to eat the the right foods and be an example. Set a family goal to eat more fruits and vegetables. Ask them about their favorite’s, keep them stocked, and make a simple chart that you can place on the fridge to track their daily intake. Offer them a gift card to their favorite store if they hit their goal. Place a picture of a different vegetable or fruit on the fridge that states its nutritional value. (E.g. Oranges are high in Vitamin C…..)
Enjoy!
~Chef Bryce
Returning to our kitchen?