Lunch Bell

Here are some helpful, healthy choices to spruce up your child’s lunch, while making the rest of the children in the lunch room envious!

Wraps make a great alternative to sandwiches. Creativity can be added using colored wraps, which add a nice vegetable taste…..nothing like sneaking in veggies when you can. Change the meat, add cheese, spread hummus…the possibility are endless!

Turkey Wraps

~1/2 cup light garden vegetable cream cheese

~4 wrap-size flour tortillas

~2 cups lettuce mix

~1 (8-ounce) package turkey breast slices

~1/2 cup shredded carrots

Spread 2 teaspoons veggie cream cheese over entire surface of each tortilla. (Use green spinach and red sun-dried tomato tortillas to add color). Top cream cheese with 1/4 cup lettuce. Place 2 slices of turkey on 1/2 on each tortilla. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon shredded carrots on top of the turkey slices.

Roll the tortillas starting at the edge where you placed the turkey.

Kabaobs are not just for the grill. Slice chunks of your child’s favorite meat, cheese and even fruit to create a fun lunch. Your child can actually help you make these kabobs, which will increase their interest in their lunch.

Encourage your child to be involved in the preparation of their lunch. If they suggest Coke and cookies, offer a healthy alternative such as 100% juice, V8, rice cakes (they have every flavor) or rice Krispie Treats . Take your child shopping with you, give them healthy choices, encourage them to try new foods. Help them to make healthy choices.

Healthy Eating takes planning. Here are some simple steps to make healthy sections more doable.

1. Get the children involved. Ask what they would like, they are more likely to eat what they choose.

2. Leftovers work great for lunches, providing the school offers a microwave. Soups are a great lunch for the soon returning cold and wet months and remain hot when put in a thermos. When putting away dinner, you can make lunch at the same time. Tupperware now comes in all fun colors, shapes, and sizes.

3. Balance. make sure that there is a complex carbs (whole wheat pits, crackers), veggis, fruit, and dairy (milk, string cheese, yogurt)

4. Be creative, cookie cutters can be used to make fun shapes and sandwich time a delight! Who wouldn’t like a PBJ in the shape of a butterfly?? Think “outside” of the bread, use pitas, wraps and crackers.

5. No sugar loading! A small treat is fine for children during school, however every school sends home papers that ask parents not to “sugar load” the students. Help your child make healthy choices and teach them that there are healthy alternatives to Twinkies, HoHos, and Chocolate Chip Cookies. Oatmeal cookies, rice crispy treats and dried fruit are fabulous alternatives!

Food can and should be fun and healthy…

~ Have a happy mouth!