Written by: Nicole Pazdziorko RDN, LDN and Kirby Moir, RDN, LDN 

Back to school season is in full swing. This means thinking about packed lunches and snacks.  School age children are typically not consuming adequate fruits, vegetables, whole grains, or dairy. This means missing essential nutrients that promote proper growth and development. To close the nutrition gap, aim to offer more well-rounded meals and snacks. 

For picky eaters it can be helpful to involve kids in the process of selecting which foods they will have each day. This can work well when shopping in store, the produce section is a great area to engage sense of sight, touch and even smell.  Raising curiosity around foods especially fruits and vegetables will often increase openness to try something new. Introducing these foods as early as possible will help with building healthy habits from a young age. 

 

Try the following tips to give your child’s lunch box a boost:

- Choose whole grains – whole grains should account for at least half of your child’s grains. This will supply more fiber and B-vitamins. Whole-wheat pitas, whole-grain bread, air-popped popcorn, and whole-grain crackers make for great lunches and snacks for your child.

- Prioritize dairy – dairy is especially important for growing children as their bones are still developing and strengthening. Low-fat string cheese or individually portioned cheese rounds make a great snack for kids. Milk with cereal and pre-portioned yogurt cups are great ways to get your children closer to that goal of 2 ½ to 3 cup equivalents of dairy per day.

- Add fruits and vegetables. Pre-cut vegetables with guacamole or hummus and mess-free fruits, like grapes and apple slices or dried fruits like raisins are perfect for your child’s lunch.

- Planning is key to finding the right balance.  Pick one day a week to wash, cut, and portion out the ingredients for that week’s lunches. If time is an issue purchase pre-washed, pre-cut fruits and vegetables, pre-portioned packs of peanut butter, guacamole, nuts, string cheese, yogurt, and pre-cooked proteins. There are tons of pre-packaged options designed to make planning balanced meals easier.

 

Here are some ideas for  balanced and flavorful kid approved meals:

• Deli ham or turkey slices with cheese cubes, whole grain crackers, sliced cherry tomatoes, apple slices, and low-fat yogurt

• A peanut butter and banana sandwich served on whole grain bread with celery sticks, fresh strawberries, and low-fat milk

• Cheddar cheese quesadillas on whole wheat tortilla with a side of bell pepper sticks, guacamole, mixed berries, and low-fat string cheese

• Whole wheat English muffin with pizza sauce, low fat cheese, turkey pepperoni, bell peppers and fruit cup on the side

 

Here are some dietitians recommended snacks: 

Fruit: 

• Apples, Pear, Bananas, Oranges 

• Fruit cups (packed in 100% juice)

o Full Circle Fruit Cups

• Fruit pouches (Beech Nut, Buddy Fruits)

• BARE- Banana, chips, cinnamon apple chips, coconut chips 

 

Vegetable:

• Libby’s -Microwave vegetable cups 

• Poshi Vegetable Packets -asparagus, green beans, artichokes (canned vegetable aisle)

• Harvest Snaps-Red Lentil Snack Crisps 

 

Protein:

• Full Circle tuna pouch

• Full Circle chicken pouch

• Canned chicken

• Canned tuna

• Dietz and Watson -low sodium deli turkey 

 

Nuts and Seeds

• Nuts: almonds, cashews, peanuts, pistachios, mixed nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds

• Food Club Peanut butter 

• 100 calorie nut packs 

 

Crunchy Snacks:

• Air popped popcorn

• Pop zero popcorn

• Boom Chicka Pop

• Full Circle Root Vegetable Chips with Sea Salt

• Crav’n Baked Pita Chips – Multigrain Sea Salt

• Popcorners

• Goldfish 

• Blue Diamond – Nuts Thins

• Triscuit – 100% Whole Grain Wheat Crackers

• Wheat Thins  

• Annie Chuns – Seaweed Snacks

• Bear Naked: Peanut butter granola; Triple Berry Granola, Vanilla Almond Granola

 

Bars: 

• Cascadian Farm – Apple Chewy Bars, Blueberry Vanilla Chewy Bars 

• Food club Protein Chewy Bars

• Junkless Chocolate Chip Chew Granola Bars

• Nature Valley Protein Bars – Peanut butter dark chocolate