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www.FredParent.NET 19 Nancy Farrell, a registered dietitian nutritionist with Farrell Dietitian Services, also stressed the importance of incorporating veggies. "Vegetables should be included in every lunch meal," she said. "Most people don't pack them, but pack excess fruits and snack items." Farrell suggests packing vegetables that are crisp and crunchy rather than soft and mushy. This can include baby carrots, sugar snap peas, grape tomatoes, broccoli bites and cucumber slices. You can also add spinach leaves to sandwiches or pack a tossed or chef salad. Sandwiches can be made with whole grain bagels, wraps or pita pockets topped with lettuce. Michelle Dorsey Graf, a nurse practitioner with Pediatric Partners for Attention and Learning, recommends cooking a whole chicken on a Sunday and using it throughout the week. "You can shred it and use it in wraps or pitas, or make a chicken salad and add your veggies to it," Graf said. Other sources of protein include hummus, salmon and tuna, cheese, eggs and beans. "Hard-boiled eggs are also easy and a good source of nutrition," said Graf. "Edamame is a good substitute for chips. You can also make an English muffin with peanut butter or cream cheese, or spread avocado slices on toast." Growing and preparing your own vegetables is a good way to add variety, and children are more likely to consume them if they know exactly where they come from and how they are made. "Include your children in the decisions for their lunches," Graf suggested. "Ask them what they want. They are more likely to eat what you pack if they are part of the decision-making process." "Include your children in the decisions for their lunches" Nancy Farrell, a registered dietitian nutritionist with Farrell Dietitian Services, also stressed the importance of Farrell suggests packing vegetables that are crisp and crunchy rather than soft and mushy. This can include baby carrots, sugar snap peas, grape tomatoes, broccoli bites and cucumber slices. You can also add spinach leaves to sandwiches or pack a tossed or chef salad. www.FredParent.NET 19 Every lunch should contain a VEGGIE along with sources of dairy, protein and grain. Also invest in some user friendly lunch box containers to carry small servings of fruits, dip, etc More Lunch Box Ideas VEGGIES Enjoy and add reduced-fat dip, or hummus, if needed • Baby carrots • Crunchy sugar snap peas • Grape tomatoes or tomato wedges drizzled with light Italian dressing • Broccoli bites • Cucumber slices • Add fresh spinach leaves to your sandwiches for crispness and vitamin A • A chef salad or tossed salad sent in a reusable container. GRAINS • Use whole grain as much as possible • Tortilla wrapped sandwiches • Whole Wheat Pita bread pocket sandwiches • Raisin bread, homemade blueberry muffin, zucchini bread, banana bread, cranberry orange muffins • Sandwich Thins CALCIUM • 4 ounce servings of yogurt or low- fat cottage cheese cups are perfect sized for kids. • Part-skim mozzarella string cheese • Silk brand flavored soy milk beverages in 8 ounce boxes are lactose free and contain calcium. • Reduced fat chocolate milk boxes help kids to meet protein and calcium needs. FRUIT • Walnut Acres makes Fruit Squeezies, which are squeez- able applesauce sweetened with fruit juice rather than sugar. • Mott's Healthy Harvest Line of apple sauce that have no added sugars or artificial sweeteners. • Fresh fruit is preferable to fruit juice, as the whole fruit will provide much need ed fiber. Pack kiwi fruit, watermelon and blueberries for a nice refreshing treat. • Dried fruits like apricots, cherries, and raisins can help tame that sweet tooth. • 100% juice...no greater than 4 ounce servings continued on pg 21