Ask a Dietician

Healthy Lunches

Goodbye summer and hello school! With school just around the corner one can expect to become busy and find the need to develop a routine. Between making breakfast, packing lunch, going to after school activities, working, doing homework, making dinner, etc., it may seem time consuming to pack a healthy lunch during the week. With lunch providing us with one-third of our daily calories, it is beneficial for us to consume a nutrient packed healthy lunch each day. These healthy options should include high fiber foods, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and low-fat dairy products that will help your child feel full longer. By offering your child with these lunch items, you will provide them with the energy that they need to concentrate and do well in class.

Here are a few ideas that your kids will love! • Sandwich tortilla wraps or lettuce • Chicken salad • Soups • Veggie Pizza • Breakfast for Lunch • Salad • Chicken sandwiches • Fill a pita (favorite protein w/ veggies) • Hummus w/ veggies • Hummus w/ pita • Chips and salsa • Fruit w/nuts • Fruit and yogurt • Puppy chow / trail mix

There are plenty of websites out there that offer a variety of delicious and healthy lunch recipes. Pinterest is easy to access and navigate, but if you are not a fan of the website have no fear. You can always Google healthy lunch recipes and find your website to begin creating delicious and healthy lunch recipes that your children will love! Also check out www.choosemyplate.gov for some great tools to help with healthy eating tips.

Vaccine

from Page 35

• Visit Vaccines.gov to find vaccination providers near you. • Text your ZIP code to 438829 or call 1-800-232-0233 to find vaccine locations near you in the United States. • Contact the Oklahoma State Department of Health to find additional vaccination locations in the area. You can visit vaccinate. oklahoma.gov.

Different Types of Vaccine

There are three vaccines that are authorized and recommended in the United States to prevent COVID-19. They are: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson/ Janssen. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the best COVID-19 vaccine is the first one that is available to you. Do not wait for a specific brand.

I received my COVID vaccine as soon as it was available to me. My reason was that as the leader of an award-winning health system striving to improve the health and wellness of our patients and community, I needed to lead. I would not ask our healers to do something I would not do myself, so I consulted my physician and ultimately received the vaccine. It was the right decision for me.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of convenience and comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” It’s relatively easy to do the right thing and say the right words when times are good. It is a lot more difficult when navigating an unprecedented crisis like this global pandemic. If you have not been vaccinated, right now is the right time to for you follow the science, ask questions and consult your healthcare provider about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.