Healthy lunch makeovers for kids

Stress-free, kid-friendly healthy lunch tips
In order to keep your child's mind alert and energy up throughout the school day, it is important to ensure they have a variety of high quality carbohydrates, fats and proteins. That said, the key is to make sure the food you are packing is kid-friendly, looks like everyone else's lunchbox (no food trading, please!) and tastes good. Impossible feat? It doesn't have to be.

Here are some stress-free, kid-friendly healthy lunch options that are quick and easy for parents to prepare:

Peanut butter and jam sandwich on whole grain bread. Be sure to purchase natural nut butters that are trans fat free and whole grain bread that is loaded with fibre and vitamin B and will help your child sustain energy throughout the day. If peanut butter is not allowed in the school, natural soy butters are a healthy alternative.

Tuna or egg wraps prepared on whole grain wraps. Be sure to purchase omega-3 eggs that contain approximately 200 to 300 mg of omega-3 fatty acids per egg. Omega-3 fats have many health benefits, including supporting proper brain function. In fact, a child's brain is comprised of 60 per cent fat.

Visit your local health food store or grocery store and "go bulk" for healthy snack foods. Try sending dried fruit, yogurt-covered raisins or almonds, nuts, seeds and granola mixes (please keep in mind nut-free policies when shopping). Health food stores can also offer healthier versions of puffed rice squares and cookies. (Try giving kids Lunchbox Trail Mix.)

Go organic. The organic market has seen tremendous growth in recent years, bringing down the cost of organic fruits, vegetables, cookies and crackers. With the bombardment of toxins such as pesticides and herbicides in our food, the more you can reduce your child's exposure, the better.

Keep them hydrated with H2O. Pack small bottles of water for your little one to drink at school.

Cut up fruits and vegetables for "grabbable" healthy snacks. You can send along healthy dips such as hummus or ranch or Italian dressing for your child's vegetables.

Try to include some healthy fats in your child's lunch. Some options are avocado slices on a sandwich or nuts or seeds as a snack.

Make your child's lunch fun. Alternate the bread or spread you use on sandwiches or try cutting their sandwich on different angles. The more appealing it looks to eat, the higher the chance it will end up in their stomach and not the garbage bin.

In addition to the tips above, have your child participate in the grocery shopping and packing of their own lunch. Research shows that when kids are involved in the preparation and packing of their lunch, they have more interest in eating what they packed. Lastly, make sure you start your little one off with a healthy breakfast so that they have the proper fuel before, during and after school!

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