How to Build a Healthy School Lunch

What’s the key to a nutritious mid-day meal that will keep kids fueled and focused? It’s building a well-rounded meal that includes protein, starch, fruits, vegetables, and fat to help children feel full and stay satiated. Choose a portion size that fits your child’s appetite. (Please note, some foods fit into more than one category.)

• Protein: hard-boiled egg, beans, lentils, soy, cubed meat, nitrate-free deli meat, chicken/egg/tuna salad, cheese, yogurt, nut/seed butter, cottage cheese, hummus, milk, jerky (¼ cup or 2 ounces or 8 fluid ounces)

• Starch: crackers (cheese/graham), cereal, rice/popcorn cakes, pea crisps, pasta, chips, bread, sweet potatoes, muffins, energy/granola bar, tortilla, pita (¾ cup or 2 slices or 2 ounces)

• Fruit: applesauce/pouch, dehydrated fruit, freeze-dried fruit, banana, orange, berries, grapes, melon, kiwi (½-1 medium)

• Vegetable: cucumber, tomato, bell pepper, carrots, snap peas, jicama, salad greens, celery, freeze-dried veggies (½-1 cup)

• Fat: whole milk dairy, eggs, oil, seed/nut butters, avocado, fatty meats

Pack Food Your Child Will Eat

Food does little to give your child fuel to learn and perform if it goes uneaten. Balance nutritious choices by ensuring that your child has food they are willing to eat.

Keep It Simple

Lunchtime offers many distractions. Make it easy for your child to see what’s available, open packaging, and eat. You don’t need to create a photo-worthy lunch.

Monotony Is Fine — If It’s Working

You don’t need to have a vast array of lunch ideas for your child. Varying the vegetable, fruit, and protein sources a couple times a week (or month) is more than adequate to provide ample variety. Kids’ tastes and preferences often change throughout the year, too.

Include Lean Protein

Don’t forget about plant protein, including tofu, edamame, roasted chickpeas, or even dips like hummus.

Pay attention to food safety with protein foods, as they are the most likely to cause illness. Use an ice pack when necessary to keep the protein from spoiling.

Be Cost Conscious

Food waste is a consideration. Don’t overpack! Convenience foods save time but also have a higher price tag. Aim to include foods that are not prepackaged as often as possible.

Presentation Matters

Make it appealing and colorful. Use a bento box or divided container with paper muffin liners as dividers. Include bite-sized foods or cut fruits and vegetables into appropriately sized pieces.

— Tysen Christensen, Nutrition Specialist