School Lunches Without All the Added Sugar

Source: Pixaby / Jun_yang

Packing a nutritious and healthy school lunch has been a priority of parents for generations. Although school lunches are a necessity for a long school day, parents and children often disagree on what makes the “best” school lunch.

Crestline surveyed families across the United States to take a closer look at the difference between what parents and children view as the “best” lunch. Among their findings, parents reported most commonly packing their kids’ fresh fruit, bread, chips, and deli meat for lunch. When asking the children what lunch options they preferred, of course, they chose pizza, cookies, brownies, candy, and fruit. Looking at the difference between states, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Illinois had the most kid-approved lunches out of all states surveyed.

As Crestline found, if children got to pack their own lunches, they would likely be filled with chips, pizza, cake, and other sugar-filled, pre-packaged goodies. Although our kids may want lunch foods that are high in sugar, this is not necessarily something that they need. Excessive sugar intake can have negative effects on young children, such as elevated blood sugar, dental cavities, and obesity. Parents should certainly be involved in their children’s lunch choices to ensure they are getting enough nutrition to support growth and development. Despite a child’s urge to indulge in sugar-sweetened and processed foods at lunchtime, their input should still be considered when packing a lunch box.

How to Build “Kid-Approved” Lunches Without All the Added Sugar

It is always best to involve your children when packing their lunch. Let’s discuss some of the best ways to implement this—while still providing nourishing options.

A great way to include your child in this process is to ask them what foods they enjoy. Walking them through each food group and discussing their favorite foods from each will be super helpful. Based on the foods provided, create a list with their help. Including them in this process can help to make their lunches more appealing and fun, and it also promotes some independence.

The five food groups are fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy. To create a balanced meal for your child, include one option from each food group. Let’s talk through some nutritious options to include that your kids would love!

Fruits

Fruit is one of the food groups where kids seem to struggle the least. Fruit can help to prevent constipation and help protect against illnesses. Since your child likely already enjoys bananas, apples, and strawberries, don’t be afraid to get creative with the fruit options.

• Oranges
• Apricots
• Blackberries
• Peaches
• Grapes
• Pears

Vegetables

Vegetables tend to be one of those food groups that children struggle with the most. Encouraging your child to try new vegetables and repeatedly exposing them to new options is a great way to promote their intake of veggies.

• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Spinach
• Cucumbers
• Bell peppers
• Sweet potatoes
• Butternut squash

Grains

Similar to the fruit food group, your child may not struggle as much with the grain food group, but it is important to still involve their opinion when choosing which grains to include. Excessive intake of refined grains can contribute to obesity and other health concerns. Per MyPlate recommendations, it is best to make at least half of your grains, whole grain food options.

• Whole wheat bread
• Brown rice
• Quinoa
• Whole wheat pasta
• Whole grain tortillas
• Whole grain crackers

Protein

Protein is essential to help your child grow, so be sure to include a nourishing protein option.

• Plain or Greek yogurt
• Almonds
• Chicken breast
• Hard-boiled egg
• Hummus
• Beans
• Tofu
• Cheese
• Nut or seed butter

Dairy

Dairy consumption is recommended to provide children with adequate calcium and vitamin D. Calcium and vitamin D help to promote strong bones. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend choosing 1% or fat-free options when providing milk products to your child.

• Plain or Greek Yogurt
• Smoothie made with milk or yogurt
• Cheese cubes
• Glass of milk
• Cheese on top of salad or veggies
• Cottage Cheese

As parents, we certainly want what’s best for our kids, and involving them in packing their lunch is a great way to teach them how to create a nourishing meal filled with foods they enjoy.