Get schooled on nutrition
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009For most parents of school-age children, the August routine goes something like this;
Jeans, check. Backpack, check. Notebooks and pencils, check. School lunch — oops, just a minute there …
Lunch-packing parents can attest that sending a child off with a tasty, nutritious lunch can seem overwhelming. For starters, you worry about nutrition: Milk or juice? Is a treat OK? Then you just hope your picky eater will actually eat what you pack.
Of course many picky eaters won't venture past peanut butter and jelly or chicken nuggets. The rule of thumb is that most kids need to try a new food 10 times before acquiring a taste for it. And one of the most effective strategies to get them to take that first taste is to serve those foods, flavors or ingredients to the whole family. The worst thing that can happen is that dinner might get a little more interesting.
You also can start out small, by trying to get them to try new breads: introduce them to pita or unusual buns. Or if your kids love tortillas or pita bread, use that as a way to get them to eat new meat, cheese or veggie combinations on their favorite bread.
So with the help from the Texas Dietetic Association, here are options for packable school lunches, hot lunches and at home, nutritious dinners and tasty snack ideas.
TURKEY PITA PIZZA LUNCH
Top a whole-wheat pita with 1/4 cup tomato sauce, 1/4 cup low-fat grated mozzarella cheese, 2 slices lean deli turkey and 1/2 cup vegetables of choice. Serve the pita pizza with Ants on a Log — 2 celery stalks spread with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and sprinkled with raisins. Send 100 percent fruit juice for a drink.
Makes one serving. Nutrition Supplements: This kid-friendly lunch includes lean turkey, which is a good source of folic acid, zinc and potassium. Cheese and milk provide calcium, which helps build healthy bones and provides vitamin D, potassium and magnesium. Celery and tomato sauce are high in vitamin C, which is supports the immune system. And peanut butter is a rich source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.