While it may seem like a simple task, packing a child’s lunch isn’t easy.
From chaotic mornings to picky eaters to the difficult job of finding easy and healthful options, the hurdles parents often face can make the job frustrating.
For mother Karla Toye, the biggest problem is time.
“It’s difficult getting up, getting your child ready for school and then having their lunch packed,” Toye said.
Toye, who packs a lunch every day, said her biggest ally is prepping in advance. While the process can be daunting to her, what her 10-year-old daughter is eating at lunch is more important.
“She has always taken a lunch to school,” Toye said. “I really care about what my daughter puts in her body. I wish more kids had access to vegetables and less of the unhealthy foods we see them eat at lunch.”
Local dietitian Rayna Wooten agreed.
Wooten, president of Nutrition Therapy Associates Inc., would like to see more fresh, whole foods in children’s lunches.
She recommended that parents incorporate items such as fruit, vegetables, lean lunch meats, dairy and whole-wheat products into lunches.
“These are important for children’s growth and development and satisfying their hunger, which helps them study,” Wooten said. “Processed foods like chips and some granola bars in packed lunches are not things that help kids with studying or staying full.”
So how do you get children to eat these healthful items? Author Katie Sullivan Morford said it’s all about creativity.
Morford, a mother of three, registered dietitian and voice behind the award-winning blog “Mom’s Kitchen Handbook,” is the author of the new book “Best Lunch Box Ever: Ideas and Recipes for School Lunches Kids Will Love.”
Morford said it’s important for parents to know basic lunch principles. Her formula for a well-balanced meal is simple.
“Start with the main course. Make sure you have that protein, and then add a fruit and then a vegetable and then a satisfying snack,” Morford explained, mentioning that a drink, such as water or milk, is important to include as well.
She recommended main courses that incorporate proteins such as rice, beans, chicken and turkey, and said buying seasonal fruits and vegetables keeps children from becoming bored with their meals while simultaneously offering a wide range of nutrients.
Snacks are important, too. Morford said a bag of whole-grain pita chips or homemade popcorn can help appease crunchy cravings.
“Kids like flavorful food. You might as well have something nourishing rather than just empty calories,” she said.
As for desserts, the author said packing a small handful of dark chocolate chips or a homemade cookie a couple times per week is appropriate, but that the amount of sweets you include should depend on your child’s diet and tastes. She said non-edible surprises can help liven lunches, too.
“A drawing, note or sticker adds something fun to the lunch,” Morford said. “I think it’s another way for parents to add something special. Kids will look forward to it, especially little kids.”
Morford said the transition to packing healthier lunches for children is best done slowly, and suggested making a few, small substitutions per week, such as switching white bread with wheat bread. She suggested starting a “Try it on Tuesday,” where you include a healthful item in your child’s lunch once a week to slowly expand her diet.
“You have to start small,” she said. “It’s a process that takes time, and I’m a believer in baby steps, especially when it comes to kids.”
Some ideas for well-rounded lunches? Morford said easy combinations such as turkey and hummus on pita bread, sliced apples, cucumbers and popcorn make for wholesome and balanced meals.
“I think variety in a diet in general is important,” she said. “The more you mix it up, the broader the range of nutrients you are consuming. It’s good to apply that to the lunch box, too.”
Robin Miller, a food writer, nutritionist and former host for the Food Network’s “Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller,” goes over some easy lunch box recipes in her newly released “The Robin Takes 5 Cookbook for Busy Families.”
Miller, a mother of two, said that although the recipes she includes for lunches are simple, planning is still important.
“My No. 1 tip is thinking ahead to keep mornings peaceful,” Miller said. “They’re crazy enough as they are.”
Miller said making a meal plan for the week is a great place to start. She also recommended making extra food for dinners so that leftovers can be used as an easy lunch fix.
“When you’re making dishes for dinner, you can just double the recipe and use the extra for packing lunches. Any casseroles, soups or stews make great next-day lunches,” Miller said.
Miller said the meals included in “The Robin Takes 5 Cookbook for Busy Families” incorporate important, nutritious ingredients such as nuts, grains, fruits, vegetables and cheeses into lunches.
“These are things kids love if you present them right,” she said. “It’s hard for kids to stay full and focus in school sometimes, and these foods will help with that.”
For portion sizes, Miller said that while there is no exact formula for how much food to pack for your child, communication is key.
“Start with smaller portions,” she said. “Find out if they’re hungrier and need more food in their lunches at the end of the day. It’s better than them throwing stuff away.”
Miller said that with some inspiration and preparation, packing good lunches can be done with ease.
“Bring creative doesn’t have to mean extra work,” she said. “People should have fun with this.”
ebrunsvold@ express-news.net
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