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Lunch Lessons
Top 10 Tips for Healthy School Lunch
By Chef Ann Cooper
6. Promote diverse foods. Teach kids about diverse foods by encouraging them to understand and ask questions about what they are eating. Introduce kids to seasonal, regional foods so they will understand that different foods grow at different times of the year.
7. Teach kids about nutrition. Kids feel rewarded when they know they've made the right choice and they understand why. Teaching your family about calories, food groups, food processing and portion sizes will help them take control over their own eating habits.
8. Talk to kids about what's healthy. Prepare a fresh, healthy, local dinner with your kids at least once a week. Talk about the benefits of eating healthful foods while cooking with kid-friendly ingredients like mashed sweet potatoes and star fruit.
9. Pack a lunch that's "do it yourself." Pack a healthy school lunch that's fun by filling your kid's lunch box with fresh, local ingredients they can mix and match. Mimic the marketing tools food manufacturers use to target school-age children with healthy alternatives.
10. Get excited about exercise. Next to a healthy, nutritious lunch, physical education is the most important part of the school day. Advocate for a school wellness program that includes nutrition education, healthy food choices and physical activity.