Packing healthy school lunches is as easy as ABC

Remembering the ABCs will help parents pack healthy lunches for their school-age children.

"A good guideline for packing nutrition into your child's school lunch is to have a source of vitamin A, a source of the B vitamins and a good source of both vitamin C and calcium," said Dr. Debby Demory-Luce, nutritionist at the USDA/ARSChildren's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston,"because many foods rich in these nutrients are also good sources of vitamin D, iron, protein and carbohydrates."

Here are the ABC's of packing healthy lunches: 

1. For vitamin A, provide one half-cup serving of a deep yellow or deep orange fruit or vegetable. Baby carrots (packed with a favorite yogurt dip), cubed cantaloupe, or dried apricots are good choices.
    
2. B vitamins are found in whole grains, meat, nuts and seeds. Meat, cheese or peanut butter sandwiches on whole grain or enriched breads, low-fat cheese with whole wheat crackers, pasta salad with cheese and kidney beans, and even lunch-box treats of graham crackers, oatmeal cookies studded with raisins and sunflower seeds provide B vitamins, protein, carbohydrates and iron. For kids' lunches pack at least two servings of grains or bread and some protein every day.
    
3. Vitamin C and calcium are both found in calcium-fortified orange juice. Pack one half-cup of fresh strawberries, cubed pineapple, citrus fruits or citrus juice for vitamin C, and one cup of low-fat milk or yogurt for calcium. Low-fat dairy products also provide protein and vitamin D. This food source of vitamin D is especially important for children in cold climates who may
   not get enough sunshine in winter.

"Lunch should provide one-third of a child's daily intake of vitamins, mineral and calories," said Demory-Luce. To ensure children receive a nutritionally balanced diet, she recommends choosing a variety of foods from the USDA Food Guide Pyramid.

"It's important to get children involved in the selection and preparation of their school  lunches," said Demory-Luce. "Not only do most children want a say in what they are going to have for lunch, but parents can also use this time to teach them how to make healthy choices. These lessons, will, in most cases, stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Lunch