Lunch is more than PB&J

What’s for lunch this school year? Healthier meals, says the American Dental Association.

Children will find more fruits, vegetables and whole grains on their school lunch trays thanks in part to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act legislation that allowed the U.S. Department of Agriculture to implement healthy reforms to the National School Lunch Program.

But, parents, what if your child doesn’t want the lunch school is serving? Will you simply rely on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, or try to be the Rachael Ray of school lunches?

“Sometimes parents try to be the perfect chef, cookie-cutter,” said Registered Dietitian Nancy Copperman, but you don’t need to be creative all the time. She said the goal is to “involve the kids.”

Copperman, an assistant professor in the Department of Population Health at Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, said that parents should start by taking their kids grocery shopping. Tell them to stick to the perimeter of the store where the healthiest choices are located, she said.

“A lot of times, everything gets thrown on the same two slices of bread and that can get boring,” said Copperman. She said sandwiches can be supplemented with Greek yogurt mixed with nuts and fruits, carrots dipped in humus or lean meat stuffed in a pita. Considering texture, taste and smell helps kids enjoy the food more, she added.

The four components to consider when making a lunch are protein, carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables. This combination can be achieved in numerous ways and does not always involve a sandwich, said Copperman. It can be as easy as left over dinner or soup in a thermos.

Variety is also important, she said. If a child likes turkey, try alternating smoked or barbeque flavored, but she added, let the little one taste it before you send it off to school. If they don’t like it, they’ll skip lunch.

When making sandwiches pick out bread with at least two grams of fiber per slice, which, Copperman said, can include white bread, the preferred choice for many kids. Or skip the bread and pack ham roll-ups. She also said to avoid bologna and salami, which are higher in sodium and fat.

Don’t forget: “When your putting fruit in a bag, that does help ripen it,” she said. The yellow banana will have black spots by lunch, so skip fruits that ripen quickly.

School snacks should also be discussed with kids. “No food is bad,” said Copperman, but certain snacks should be “sometimes snacks.” Make most snacks fruits and vegetables and choose cookies sometimes, she said.

Moderation is key, but Copperman said to avoid fast food and suggested making your own lunchables, the more nutritious option. If a child is asking for lunchables, or another unhealthy items, Copperman said it’s important for parents to explain that companies target kids through advertising. “Most of the time [kids] are taken by the packaging,” she said.

Healthy eating starts at the breakfast table

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and Kathy Hill, a registered dietitian at Nassau University Medical Center would agree. “Many kids go to school without having breakfast,” she said. They need those calories to fuel their growing bodies.

Hill says to set the breakfast table the night before. Put out the plates, bowls, cups and cereal so it’s ready. In the morning, use one-percent milk and alternate options.

For mornings that are rushed, keep low-sugar cereal bars, nuts and bananas on hand.