The following opinion piece was provided by Brittany McMullan, a registered dietitian at Zehrs Orillia.
********************
The hustle and bustle of back-to-school season is near and, as a parent, you may be looking for ways to pack fun and appetizing school lunches for your child to enjoy at school.
Packing a balanced and desirable lunch can be quite challenging, especially for more selective eaters. It’s important to remember that you may never get it right, and that’s OK. Appetites change constantly and, depending on the day, what you pack may not be what your child wants at that moment in time. Be sure to provide a variety.
As a registered dietitian, I’m here to help your family best prepare for back-to-school lunches this year. Here are a few things to consider when packing lunch:
Focus on adding instead of removing foods — If I were to tell you, “You can’t have ice cream,” you’d likely want ice cream even more so, right? Same thing goes with kids. Instead of trying to eliminate certain foods, focus on trying to add nutrients to your child’s lunch. For instance, try making shredded zucchini chocolate chip muffins for an added nutritional boost, instead of taking the muffin away.
Try to let go a little — Remember, you can’t control whether your child will consume everything, or anything, you’ve packed in their lunchbox. Your role is to provide them with a variety or nutritious options from all the food groups. Your child’s role is to decide what is eaten and how much. As hard as it is to believe, they really won’t let themselves go hungry.
Avoid labelling foods as “good” or “bad” — While it may be unintentional, classifying food as “good” or bad” can negatively impact your child’s relationship with food, causing them to fear certain items. There is a place for all foods in a balanced diet.
Healthy does not equal boring — One common misconception is that healthy eating is boring, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Lunches can contain foods we enjoy and that are fun to eat, while also including the nutrients we need to fuel our days. Get creative with your child’s lunch by having them help you cut fruit with a cookie cutter into fun shapes like stars or moons. Bento-style lunches are also very visually appealing for kids — and adults, too.
A well-balanced lunch is important for a child’s growth and development. Building your child’s appetite starts at home, so it’s important to prioritize mealtime and to be experimental to help your child gain exposure to different types of foods.
As a registered dietitian at Zehrs Orillia, I provide a range of services, such as virtual or in-store one-on-one consultations, store tours, and recipe ideas. Beyond lunch-packing advice, I can help your family with your overall nutrition journey. To discuss, book an appointment with me at zehrs.ca/dietitians.
At this time of year, it is also important to remember those in the community that are not so fortunate. Research shows approximately one million Canadian children live with food insecurity every day.
For children whose families might struggle to put food on the table, back-to-school is a welcome time when they will have easy access to school meals thanks to President’s Choice Children’s Charity. Their program is essential to helping children learn, play, and grow, and to ensure no child in your community goes hungry, please consider donating in-store at Zehrs during the Million Hungry Minds campaign, between Sept. 8 and 28.
Everything-but-the-Bread Deli Skewers
Ingredients
- 126-inch (15 cm) wooden skewers
- 1 pkg (400 g) PC Natural Choice Deli Assortment
- 1 pkg (126 g) PC Marble Cheddar Cheese
- 8round slices pickles
- 8 cherry or grape tomatoes
- 8 mini bocconcini cheeses
- 8 leaves fresh basil
- 8 pieces quartered marinated artichoke hearts
- 8 pitted green olives
- 12 leaves Boston lettuce
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) PC Spring Herb Vinaigrette
Instructions
- Stir together celery, chicken, yogurt, chutney, cherries, salt and pepper in large bowl.
- Make slit along top edge of each pita to open halfway. Line inside of pitas with lettuce and fill with chicken mixture, dividing evenly. (Tip: The lettuce acts as a barrier to keep the pita from getting soggy, so make sure the entire inner surface of the pita is covered by lettuce.)
- Divide and fill up the remaining compartments of your bento boxes with PC Mini Cucumbers, sliced sweet peppers, baby carrots, fresh berries, individually wrapped cheeses, and/or grapes.
