Healthy lunchbox tips for busy parents

Everything takes time in today's "go-go-go" world. From getting your child to soccer practice and driving the carpool to keeping your house clean and packing lunches for school -- parents often feel like they are always one step behind.

In response to our busy schedules, food manufacturers have clued in by developing food products that are fast, no fuss and pre-packaged with little to no preparation time. The upside to this is that parents can literally pluck one of these "lunchables," -- breakfast bars or a box of cheesy fish-shaped crackers for example -- off the grocery shelves and plop them into a lunchbox.

The downside to these processed foods is that they're typically filled with refined flours and sugars, trans fatty acids and food chemicals that are contributing to a rise in a myriad of pediatric healthcare epidemics such as obesity, allergies, attention deficit disorder and eczema.

Packing your child a healthy lunch he or she will eat likely feels more challenging than ever before. If the lunch you send to school does not appeal to your child, the risk of a "food trade" arises. In other words, if the foods you have packed your little one does not look as good to him as what his friends may have, he may "trade up" by swapping one or two of his food items.

In addition, if your child does engage in a minor food protest, the food you have packed may still be in his lunchbox when he comes home, or even worse, may be thrown in the garbage.

In order to combat this often frustrating situation, the key is to communicate with your child about their dietary likes and dislikes. Sending them off to school with a balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, and with enough healthy "treats," will ensure lunchbox success.

I can honestly tell you, as a mom and an aunt to five nephews, I have been witness to several food fights over the years between parent and child. What I know for sure is engaging in a food fight with your little one will never work. Although it is a tricky balancing act that combines feeding them nutritious foods while allowing them the occasional goody, I assure you, harmonious interactions on this subject will serve you and your child best.

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