Packing a Healthy Lunch: 3 Things to Consider
By Virginia Laird
With a new school year just a few short weeks away, it is time to begin thinking about school lunch. Will you pack it or have your child buy lunch at school? While you can be sure the school lunch will be balanced, it can be healthier to pack your child's lunch. Still, keeping the lunch exciting and scrumptious can prove to be one of your more difficult tasks. A few things you should consider as you prepare to pack your child's school lunch include:
- Avoid packing junk food
- Include some protein in your lunch
- Consider water as the beverage
Avoid Packing Junk Food
Many children who take their lunch to school vie for a lunch filled with chips, sweet treats, and candy. Many students will actually have these items packed in their lunch each day. While these items can be exciting for the child, consuming these items each day can lead to a variety of health issues. Rather than loading your child's lunch with a variety of unhealthy options, it is best to rely on fruits and veggies to help make it a healthy one. Choosing to pack a well-balanced meal for your student, although it may be unpopular, is one great way to help manage your child's health.
Include Some Protein in Your Lunch
As you prepare to begin the task of packing a lunch for your child to take to school, it is necessary that you include a protein. The body burns protein before carbs, therefore, having some while at lunch can help your child maintain energy during a long day of school. Protein can be included in the lunch in a variety of ways, including peanut butter, mixed nuts, and lunch meat, among an endless variety of other options.
Consider Water as the Beverage
While you may be tempted to include juice in your student's lunch, choosing to make water the beverage for lunch is best. Juice is loaded with sugar, which can provide a slight energy boost. However, when that wears off, it will be followed by a rapid crash, leading to exhaustion. Packing water also helps you teach your student about the important role that water plays in life. Helping your child to understand that water is necessary to keep the body functioning properly can set your student up for a healthy lifestyle.
Start planning school lunches with your child to help teach how to balance a meal while making healthy choices.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Asheville, N.C.