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 How Parents Can "Think Outside the Lunch Box" for Healthier Back-To-School Lunches Tips from Mary Ellen Renna, M.D., F.A.A.P, PNS Pediatrician and Author of Growing Up Healthy the Next Generation Way: Add Years to Your Child's Life and Life to Your Childs Years Back-to-school time means back to homework, back to the flurry of after-school activities and back to the routine of packing your kids lunch boxes every morning. With the growing levels of childhood obesity in our country, and with lunch one of the biggest areas of concern for parents when it comes to their children's diets, parents today need to "think outside the lunch box" when it comes to packing lunch boxes this year - and steer clear of traditional favorite lunchbox "convenience" items such as chips, cookies and other high-fat, high calorie foods that can not only pack on the pounds for children . but which deprive them of the nutrients they need for peak performance during the school day. Leading pediatrician Mary Ellen Renna, M.D., F.A.A.P., PNS (who is one of only a handful of pediatricians in nation to be board certified in pediatrics and be a diplomat of the American Board of Physician Nutrition Specialists) has some great ideas for easy "lunch box makeovers" that not only will be kid-approved, but which can literally help parents add years to their children's lives through better nutrition. 1.. Don't focus on giving your child a "meat" sandwich (many parents tend to focus on the meat portion of their child's lunch for fear that they are not getting enough protein) - and make sure to avoid processed lunch meats such as bologna and salami. Instead, try his or her favorite vegetables with low fat cheese or tofu as a main focus. Also, when packing sandwiches, skip the white bread and go for the whole grain bread instead (and make sure to only choose breads that list "whole wheat" as the first ingredient to ensure that it is a whole grain product.) 2.. Did you know that beans can be a great replacement for meat? They are packed with protein, fiber and nutrition and little of the saturated fats. Any bean will do (chick peas, kidney beans, etc.) . but the hard part is getting your child to eat them for lunch. The solution? Make a great-tasting bean dip, and cut up some whole wheat pita triangles for a healthy lunch-to-go that your child will love . and which will be a great source of nutrients! 3.. Some of the best foods for a child are also the most portable and perfect for packing into a nutritious lunch box . Nuts and seeds are very healthy snacks - they are loaded with protein and packed with energy. Pumpkin seeds, in particular, are loaded with healthy fats, fiber, lots of minerals like magnesium, iron, copper, potassium zinc and some calcium. Ounce for ounce, pumpkin seeds have almost as much protein as beef or chicken, with a lot more of the good fats . and even have some of the amazingly heart-healthy omega-three fatty acids. In addition, fruits are a very convenient lunch box snack - and parents should make sure to include one piece of fruit in every lunchbox. 4.. Eliminate sugary snacks and processed foods from your child's lunch box - instead, substitute healthy (and equally convenient) snacks like nuts, sunflower seeds and/or pumpkin seeds, fruit with peanut butter or soy butter, cut-up vegetables with a low-fat dip such as a low-fat or light dressing or yogurt, air-popped popcorn, high fiber cereals and low-fat cheese sticks. 5.. Make sure to include foods that are particularly "nutrient dense" and which offer a number of health benefits. For example, apples contain vitamin C, soluble and soluble fiber, potassium and quercetin - and are also good for cleaning teeth and exercising gum tissue! Other great nutrient-dense foods that you can include in a child's lunch box include cut-up broccoli and/or cauliflower with a low-fat ranch dip, or fruits such as kiwi and grapefruit. 6.. Try packing a salad for your child - colorful and tasty cut-up vegetables like red peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots can make a salad a refreshing treat for your child, especially when you include a separate package of low-fat or fat-free dressing that your child can drizzle on themselves at lunchtime. Also, for extra protein and even more good taste, try adding in additional items, such as grilled chicken or hard-boiled eggs. 7.. Remember that what your child drinks with lunch each day is just as important as what he or she eats. Send your child with either water, low-fat milk or a fruit juice box - but make sure that the juice box is made only from 100% juice, and is fortified with calcium as well. Many juices contain only minimal amounts of real fruit juice and instead are filled with a lot of sugar - read the labels and look for a juice box that is 100% fruit juice, such as Apple & Eve's 100% juice box line. Juice boxes are also a great way to keep your child's lunch cold throughout the day - freeze a juice box the night before and use as an ice pack . and by lunchtime, it will be perfectly defrosted and ready to drink! 8.. Make lunch-packing something you and your child do together. Talk with your child to get their input as to healthy choices that they like - and explain to them how these healthy items from their lunchbox at mid-day will help give them the energy and "brain fuel" that they need throughout the whole afternoon (both in the classroom and for any after-school sports or activities.) Also, remind your child that those high-calorie, high sugar snacks that they are asking for in their lunchboxes will only make them sluggish and cranky in the later afternoon hours - a time that they need to be in peak form! 9.. Packing up leftovers from a previous night's dinner is a great way to add variety to your child's lunchbox. Leftover grilled chicken cutlets, for example, can be made into healthy and delicious chicken wraps for the next day's lunch - and a cold pasta salad (made with whole wheat noodles) is also a kid-favorite entrée that can double as a great lunch the next day. Packing leftovers for the next day's lunch is also a great time-saver during busy mornings - simply bring some small portable containers to the dinner table at night and pack them up right there so that they are packed and ready-to-go for the next day! 10.. Most importantly, read the labels on every product you put in your child's lunch box. Avoid all products that contain trans fats, and look for products that contain only minimal amounts of saturated fats and low sugar content. Remember, there really is a difference between products so parents today need to be careful label-readers. In addition, teaching your child to "read the labels" is something that they will carry with them throughout their whole lives . long after they've eaten their last school lunch! For more information about "Thinking Outside the Lunchbox" and other ideas for an Extreme Makeover: Lunchbox Edition, visit Dr. Renna's website at www.nextgenfit.com. In addition, for more information about family nutrition and new ways to keep the whole family fit, visit Apple & Eve's new website at www.appleandeve.com.
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