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Making your child’s midday meal nutritious, flavorful, and fun
Photograph by Kyle Chesser
Getting children to eat healthfully is a snap when you set a good example at home. The percentage of kids who are obese in the U.S. has doubled since 1980, and an estimated 16 percent of adolescents between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
What’s the big deal, you say? Isn’t it just baby fat that will disappear later? Wrong: Kids who pack on pounds when they are young face an increased risk of serious health problems as adults, such as type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and even heart disease.
The good news is that unlike some other childhood diseases, obesity and the health problems it produces are almost entirely preventable. The first step is to establish healthy eating habits at home for your entire family. The tricky part is making sure those habits stick when youngsters aren’t at home—particularly when they are confronted with unhealthy choices in their school’s cafeteria.
In my opinion, the best way to teach your kids how to avoid unhealthy temptations at school is to pack their lunches with foods that are both nutritious and delicious. Cover both of these bases and kids are less likely to make a run for the snack machines, or “trade” their healthy lunch for another kid’s processed junk.
Lean protein and complex carbohydrates provide energy as kids run around on the playground, focus in the classroom, or participate in after-school sports. Whole grains and organically grown fruits and vegetables are packed with fiber. Cheese and yogurt offer calcium to help build strong bones.
Aim for a colorful lunch that is loaded with variety. This ensures your kids are getting a balanced diet and also exposes them to a whole host of foods. Give kids choices whenever possible, letting them pick from different fruits or vegetables or yogurt flavors. Involving them in the process keeps their interest and lets them feel like they have some control.
Here’s a tasty trick that is wholesome and kid-proven: Core and slice an organic apple into quarter-sized wedges, then douse them with the juice of half an orange. The citric acid in the juice ensures that the slices won’t turn brown, plus adds a fresh, juicy flavor. Be sure to pack the wedges in a leak-proof, reusable plastic container.
Hold kids’ interest by encouraging them to decorate their lunch container with their favorite cartoon stickers or by drawing directly onto the container with a permanent marker. Who knows, your little darling may become the next Alice Waters, and she’ll have her brilliant parents to thank for it!.
Jessica Iclisoy is the founder of California Baby, a natural skincare line for babies, kids, and sensitive adults. Visit her website at californiababy.com.
