{"id":22,"date":"2018-07-23T17:46:44","date_gmt":"2018-07-23T17:46:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/parent-corner\/?p=22"},"modified":"2018-08-15T19:46:10","modified_gmt":"2018-08-15T19:46:10","slug":"healthy-school-lunches-ideas-for-the-whole-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teacherlists.com\/blog\/parent-corner\/healthy-school-lunches-ideas-for-the-whole-week\/","title":{"rendered":"Healthy School Lunches: Ideas for the Whole Week"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you commonly open your child\u2019s lunch box after school only to find half of its contents untouched, don\u2019t despair! Sally Sampson, founder of the family cooking magazine ChopChop<\/a>, has some tips to make school lunch planning and prep a little easier. We also asked Sampson to suggest kid-tested ideas for healthy school lunches, then grouped them into mix-and-match lists. See \u201cLunch Box Boogie\u201d<\/a>, below, for a fun way to put together some back-to-school lunch menus.<\/p>\n

Involve your child in preparing his own healthy school lunches.<\/h3>\n

\u201cKids who cook have a more diverse palate,\u201d says Sampson, who has authored 21 cookbooks. \u201cCooking\u201d could be as simple as tossing a salad or stuffing almonds into dates. Whatever the dish, Sampson has found that children are more likely to eat it when they\u2019ve helped make it.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t force your child to eat a certain food.<\/h3>\n

If your child is reluctant to try something new, just keep including it in her lunch box. Eventually, she might decide on her own to give it a taste.<\/p>\n

Combine new foods with favorite ones.<\/h3>\n

Doing this can help overcome some kids\u2019 resistance to eating unfamiliar or just plain unliked ingredients. \u201cIf you pair the hated food with the beloved food,\u201d Sampson says, \u201cit creates a conflict, and they\u2019ll want to try it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shift (gradually) to healthier versions of familiar foods.<\/h3>\n

Switching from standard pasta to whole wheat, for example, or from whole milk to low-fat is a relatively simple way to boost kids\u2019 intake of nutritious foods. To transition more easily to new flavors, start by substituting a quarter of the total amount with the healthier food. Then, slowly increase that quantity until the original food is phased out.<\/p>\n

Apply the morning clothes principle to healthy school lunches.<\/h3>\n

The popular trick that makes it easier for some parents to get their kids dressed before school\u2014offering shirt A or shirt B instead of the whole closet\u2014works just as well with meals. \u201cDo you want the apple or the banana with your lunch today?\u201d lets children express their preferences without opening up the entire kitchen pantry for discussion.<\/p>\n

Have a variety of food items readily available.<\/h3>\n

This is a good one for both parents and kids. And it\u2019s useful both for healthy school lunches and<\/em> healthy after-school snacks<\/a>. For example, wash and cut up a batch of strawberries and leave the bowl on the counter. That way, you\u2019ll reach for those first if your child needs a little something extra in her lunch bag or you need a quick bite before dinner.<\/p>\n

\n

<\/a>Lunch Box Boogie<\/h3>\n

Choose one item from each column or read across a row for well-rounded and fun healthy school lunches. A frozen juice box or insulated pack is great for keeping lunch bags cold.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n
MAIN COURSES<\/h5>\n<\/td>\n
\n
SIDE DISHES<\/h5>\n<\/td>\n
\n
DESSERTS<\/h5>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
Chicken salad
\nWith a twist: Season the chicken with tarragon for a new flavor<\/em><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Bell peppers with cherry tomatoes
\nWith a twist: Roast along with zucchini and squash for a dish that\u2019s good hot or cold<\/em><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Banana-cocoa bread<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
Tuna salad
\nWith a twist: Try low-fat yogurt instead of mayo to moisten the tuna<\/em><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Whole grain crackers<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Fresh fruit kebabs<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
\nWith a twist: Spread the peanut butter on a rice cake or corn cakes instead of bread<\/em><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Lightly steamed (still crunchy) green beans or shelled edamame beans<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Carrot cupcake<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
Vegetarian or turkey chili<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Corn bread<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Dates stuffed with almonds<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
Hummus or white bean dip
\nWith a twist: Make a salad instead by saut\u00e9ing whole chickpeas or white beans with greens like spinach or kale<\/em><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Pita chips and raw veggies<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
1 or 2 squares of dark chocolate<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
Tabouli<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Sesame noodles<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Frozen grapes<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
Corn and black bean salad<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Ranch dressing and veggie sticks<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Dried cherries and golden raisins<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Originally posted in 2011 and updated regularly.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yes, you can find a sack lunch that your kids will like and that\u2019s healthy, too\u2014even if they don\u2019t know it!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":71,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[10],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHealthy School Lunches: Ideas for the Whole Week - TeacherLists<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Healthy school lunches for every day of the week. 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