National School Lunch Week – Take a Fresh Look at your Kid’s Lunch!

Mom's Make Great Lunches

It’s National School Lunch Week and we wanted to know “what’s on your kid’s tray?” School lunches have changed a lot since we were in school, that’s for sure! President Obama’s official proclamation for National School Lunch week includes the following statement.

“I, Barack Obama, president of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week of October 10 through October 16, 2010, as National School Lunch Week. I call upon all Americans to join the dedicated individuals who administer the National School Lunch Program in appropriate activities that support the health and well-being of our Nation’s children.”

So do you know what your kids are eating when they decide not to take their lunch? You might be surprised to learn that the major fast food brands have made their way into middle and high school cafeterias. The meals served in many cafeterias are laden with fats, preservatives, and poor nutritional content. Poor for the waistline – but somehow good for the school district’s “budget”. I could spend this blog pontificating about the local, state and federal government’s failures to protect our children at the lunch counter. Or how there is not enough parent involvement to make changes at the educational level for better school lunch programs. But I thought better of that (besides, you can turn on Fox News for that!)

The best way to improve the nutritional value of school lunches is to MAKE YOUR OWN! So, I decided to use this week to inform our kids’ about health choices at lunch when buying and make the lunches and snacks they take to school a little healthier!

We put together 10 quick tips you can use to make your kids meals away from home a bit healthier!

1.  Instead of greasy potato chips – how about popcorn, Sun Chips, or peanut butter and crackers.

2. Need the crunch? Cut-up carrots and celery are always good choices and are a great source of energy.

 3. Get a water bottle. It can easily fit in your kid’s backpack and can be refilled (which is eco-friendly). To make it fun, have your child pick out stickers to decorate them with.

4. Whole Wheat or White Wheat bread is the healthier choice. Kids say they don’t like it, but you would be amazed at what they can adapt to quickly!

5. Got tortillas? These are a unique way to make a sandwich roll or taco. Simply get some deli or taco meat, the fixings, and presto…it’s a new kind of lunch time.

6. Soups or chili are always make a great lunch. If you don’t want to send a thermos to school, check out the new lockable, sealable containers that can be put in the microwave at school.

7. Got a sweet tooth to satisfy? At the risk of sounding old-fashioned, make your own cookies! It is a great Sunday afternoon project that you can do together. Then put them in individual zip-lock baggies, throw them in the freezer, and then pull them out when it is time to go into a lunch. The cookies thaw just in time to be devoured! MMMM…that is memories in the making.

8. No more PB&J. Okay, maybe once a week is ok. But find alternative for your kids diet that will provide the nutritional values they need.

9. Get a great lunch box. There is just something about having a cool “tote” that keeps things cool!

10. Have your child help make the lunch! Whether it is the night before cutting up carrots or making their sandwich “just the right way”, this will help them learn the “why’s” and “how’s” of making healthy choices from the person they admire most – YOU!

The Fresh Air Club is committed to educating people about healthy choices and empowering them to make those choices in their daily life. From the food we eat to the air we breathe, everything that goes into our bodies impacts our health and well-being. And one last thought – when was the last time you “crashed” the school cafeteria to have lunch with your child? This week might be a good time for that too!