From our friends at GoodBite.com
If your kids are tired of the same old PB&J or bologna sandwiches for lunch, it may be time to switch it up. But what??? We asked mom “in the know” Jen Levinson, mother of 5 boys (two sets of twins!) to give us some pointers on everything lunch. After all, she feeds a lot of hungry tummies…
Jen says…
What to pack:
• Think of the four food groups. A balanced lunch could then be 1-2 servings of Vegetables and Fruit, 1 serving from the Grain Products, ½-1 servings of Milk and Alternatives and ½ a serving of Meat and Alternatives.
• Think outside the sandwich! Get creative when choosing items for your child’s lunch. Sometimes changing something as simple as the type of grain. For example, using pita, flatbread, tortilla, or cereal instead of bread can make lunch more interesting for your little eater. Cut sandwiches into triangles or diamonds. Use cookie cutters to make fun shapes.
• Offer various types of cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, Jack, Swiss) in different forms (cubes, strings, slices and balls). To create a cheese ball, shred and then shape into balls.
• Switch up the veggies and fruit. Give your kids something different to experience with each bite. Group foods according to: Type (citrus, tropical.); color (green, red, orange, yellow, purple); shape (balls, strips, chunks, whole); or texture (soft, juicy, crunchy)
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What to pack your tots for lunch this week.