Make it fun: Some mom-approved tricks for packing better back-to-school lunches
MILWAUKEE -- While many parents welcome the return of school -- the packing of school lunches can be stressful. But it doesn't have to be. Heather Ferber with Better Health by Heather joins Real Milwaukee with some tips for making healthy tasty lunches -- and enjoying the time spent making them.
1. Get the right supplies - a festive lunch box goes a long way in making healthy school lunches a lot of fun.
2. Plan ahead - Take a few minutes every week or two to map our favorite ideas and make sure the ingredients are stocked in your fridge. Map it out on paper, write or print it out, and hang in the kitchen. All you need is a list of 15 lunch options and that gives you three weeks of ideas that you can rotate for months!
3. Fat/Fiber/Protein - Each meal should incorporate these three nutritional components to help balance your child`s blood sugars and help them stay focused, energized and satiated until the school bell rings around 3pm.
4. Maximize Dinner Leftovers - Bust out of the sandwich rut by using your dinner leftovers and popping them into wraps or over rice. Think about creating a 'bowl' concept with a protein, a few veggies and your child`s favorite carb (i.e. brown rice, potatoes, or corn)
5. Make It Fun! - Get your children involved in the preparation and creative process. Engage them with vibrant colors, fun shapes, and silly lunch box love notes. The time you spend together in the kitchen is perfect for chatting, listening to music and evening practicing a few dance moves.
Simple, Delicious & Nutritious Lunch Ideas:
• Wraps
• Burritos/Bowls
• Quesadillas
• Cheese/meat/cracker/veggie tray
• Soups
Healthier Packaged Snacks:
• KIND Bars & Lara Bars
• Organic jerky
• Wholly Guacamole & non GMO corn chips
• Seven Seeds Greek Almond Spread & Veggies
• Organic Valley cheese sticks & cauliflower cheese chips (From the Ground Up)
• Wild Planet Tuna packets
• Made in Nature Supersnacks
• Quinoa quick meal (Kitchen & Love)
• Jicama chips
• Mama Chia Pods
• Nut Butter packets
• Popcorn
BHBH School Lunch Favorites:
• Chicken salad in sprouted or spelt wraps
• BLTA - bacon, lettuce/spinach, tomato, avocado wraps
• Egg, bean, cheese & veggies burritos (pre-make and freeze)
• Chicken/brown rice/broccoli bowl
• Salmon/quinoa/celery/onion bowl
• White bean chili
• Dinner leftovers!