Back to School

There was a time when packing a school lunch was simple. Sandwich, apple, treat, repeat.These days, choices range from chocolate covered granola bars and candy-covered yogurt, to pre-packaged nachos and other high-fat favorites.What's a parent to do?The Enterprise asked registered dietitian Dianne Hyson her tips on packing healthy school lunches that kids will actually eat.If you've never tried a zebra sandwich or wondered if banana chips count as a fruit, read on...Tip 1: Involve the kidsMake sure your back-to-school shopping includes a trip to the grocery store with your children, says Hyson, who chairs the Family and Consumer Sciences Department at Sacramento State.

Research shows that when children are involved in the packing and preparing of lunches, they have more interest in eating what they pack.Before you go, Hyson suggests sitting down with your child and discussing the ground rules of grocery shopping. If not, you could end up with a cart full of snack food.She allows her daughters to pick out one or two 'sometimes foods.' You decide when that special 'sometimes food' can be eaten, Hyson explains. When you create a situation of 'forbidden foods,' Hyson warns it makes children want it more and sneak it when they can. A couple of additional shopping tips: Feed them before you head to the store, says Hyson, and make it fun. This is not the time for a quickie grocery trip.


Tip 2: Compromise. Hyson has been packing her daughters' lunches for more than a decade and she's not afraid to throw in a slice of white bread.But it's just a slice. The other slice, she assures, is whole-grain. 'We call it a zebra sandwich.'There are plenty of opportunities to compromise your way to a healthy school lunch, according to Hyson.They want cereal for lunch? Give it to them. 'Put it in a baggy as their lunch dessert,' she advises. 'Having dry cereal for lunch is actually fine, especially if it's a fiber containing cereal.' Got to have those Oreos? Toss them in your cart as your 'sometimes food,' Hyson suggests.'You have to be flexible with kids,' she says, adding that lunch is only one of their meals.'If it's not perfect, it's going to be OK.'

Tip 3: Pack protein. For sustaining children throughout the school day, nothing beats protein, according to Hyson.Not a fan of turkey sandwiches? No problem.Hyson's picks are string cheese, nuts and tofu. It can even be as simple as tossing a slice of lunch meat in a baggy, sans the bread. And finishing off the meal with cheese will help eliminate any sugar left on the teeth and gums, adds Hyson.She also likes bean and cheese burritos, including some pre-packaged varieties found on grocers' shelves. Look for burritos that are less than 3 grams of fat per serving with less than 700 grams of sodium.Just wrap the burrito in a paper towel and toss it in the microwave. After heating through, add a layer of tinfoil and toss it in the lunch bag.While hard-boiled eggs and tuna are great sources of protein, many kids don't want them in their lunch because it makes it 'smell bad,' explains Hyson.Respect their concerns and eat these items at home, she advises.

Tip 4: Add some crunch. If your child is taking a 'pass' when it comes to fruits and vegetables, Hyson says look to alternatives, like dried fruit. 'It's still fruit.' Even fruit juice is fine, although you don't want it to be your child's only fruit source, Hyson warns.Read the label carefully. Look for drinks that say 'fruit juice' and not just 'fruit drink.' And watch out for the sugar.'Any of the brands that you see high fructose corn syrup as the first ingredient, that's going to be a problem.'Hydration during the day is important, Hyson adds.'Kids can become tired, think they are hungry when they are actually thirsty, and they get irritable and unfocused with thirst.'As for vegetables, add a dipping sauce and they are more likely to crunch away.

Tip 5: Watch the sugar. Hyson warns parents to be careful when choosing items that may be deemed healthy, but are loaded with sugar.'Yogurt is a double-edged sword for me,' she says. Hyson points to the novelty yogurt that comes complete with its own packet of sprinkles. 'They have changed yogurt into liquid candy bars,' she says.And some granola bars aren't much better. Be leery of any granola bar that lists sugar as one of the first ingredients, Hyson says. She also steers clear of granola bars with fewer than 3 grams of fiber.As for those energy drinks, just say no, Hyson says. 'They are completely out of place in a kid's diet. It sets them up for an elevated high and then that crash.'In addition to the sugar content, the drinks are loaded with caffeine. Children can become irritable, even addicted to the caffeine.'It's a misnomer to call them energy drinks,' says Hyson. 'They should be called 'temporary high drinks.'

Reprinted with the permission of the author and The Davis Enterprise.

By Julie Rooney, Davis Enterprise Staff Writer, September 9, 2008