Pack-a-Lunch

By Beverley Demetrius, M.A., R.D., L.D.
Nutrition Services Director
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What's for lunch today? It's often a challenge to think of something tasty, nutritious, and different to pack for so many school lunches throughout the year. Children are sometimes picky eaters and often don't understand the relationship between eating the right foods and staying healthy. So what's a parent to do?

Lunch should supply at least 1/3 of your child's daily needs.

Here are some selection tips:

  • Always start with the food guide pyramid as a base for making food selections.
  • According to the pyramid, children should have foods from each of the five food groups named in the pyramid.
  • Lunch should supply at least 1/3 of your child's daily needs.
  • Include a variety of foods from different food groups.
Choose from the following groups for lunch:

Grain Group (2-3 servings)

1 slice of bread, 1 tortilla, 1 roll/serving

If your child has had enough of breads for sandwiches, try breadsticks, pretzels, crackers or breakfast cereals. For the sandwich-eater, choose pita bread or flour tortillas that can be stuffed with lettuce, tomatoes, meats and mozzarella cheeses.

Vegetable Group (1-2 servings)

½ cup of cooked, 1 cup of raw/serving

Fruit Group (1-2 servings)

¼ cup of dried fruit, ½ cup of canned fruit/serving

Bright colored fruits and vegetables are packed with nutrients and look attractive in any child's lunch box. Small apples, bananas, grapes, tomatoes, bags of dried fruit are a great addition to lunch. High vitamin C juice is available in juice boxes now.

Milk Group (1 serving)

1 cup of milk or yogurt, 1 oz. of cheese

Worried About Calcium? Try new milk in the ½ pt containers (plain or flavored), and cheeses (cut in strips or triangles to add interest). Yogurt dips are also good and are becoming quite popular with children. The goal is 200 - 250 milligrams of Calcium per meal.

Meat Group (1 serving)

  • 2 Tbsp. of Peanut butter/serving
  • 2 ounces of meat/serving
  • ¼ cup of nuts/serving
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Tuna fish, peanut butter, turkey and skinless chicken provide extra protein for growing children. Bean dips with crackers and various nuts (almonds, pecans) are nutritious meat substitutes and add crunch to the meal.

Packing Treats

There is always a little room for treats in moderation. This group includes cookies, chips, cakes, and sodas. They add extra calories and sodium to your child's diet, which could lead to health problems in adulthood. Some better choices are Romaine lettuce stuffed with turkey & cheese, breadsticks, mini sandwiches with meat and cheese, and yogurt.