Hello Macaroni Kids Families!
I’m sure you are running full speed ahead with back to school events by now. This time of year can be stressful, and getting back to packing lunches can be quite the ordeal. However, at Giant Food the In-Store Nutritionists have been busy meeting with families to spread the good news- packing lunch can be SIMPLE! Check out these tips and tricks to make packing lunch a breeze.
- Follow the food groups. When planning lunches, remember the five food groups- fruits, veggies, whole grains, protein, and dairy.
- Fruits:Always eat the rainbow! Try these rainbow fruit skewers complete with a sweet dip to entice picky eaters: https://recipecenter.giantfood.com/recipes/29190/rainbow-fruit-skewers
- Veggies:Bite- size foods are less intimidating to little mouths, so get creative with bite-size veggies like baby carrots, mini bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes. Even better- roast them into ‘chips’ for a colorful and crunchy lunchbox snack: https://recipecenter.giantfood.com/recipes/29186/baked-vegetable-chips
- Protein:Protein helps kids stay full during long days of learning. Include protein at every meal. For a plant-powered option, choose a bean dip with Greek yogurt and provide a variety of vegetables and whole grain crackers like Triscuits: https://recipecenter.giantfood.com/recipes/28496/7-minute-kids-love-tex-mex-dip
- Grains:Carbohydrates in grains give kids energy- in fact, carbs are the brain’s first source of fuel. Give kids more brain power with whole grains. In these nutty popcorn balls, kids get whole grain oats and popcorn- two whole grains! If your child is in a peanut free school, simply swap out the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter. https://recipecenter.giantfood.com/recipes/116646/nutty-popcorn-balls
- Dairy:Diary provides calcium and vitamin D- the building blocks of strong bones. Yogurt and string cheese are great lunchbox dairy sources, but it’s easy to get creative with dairy by subbing Greek yogurt for mayo, like in this chicken salad recipe: https://recipecenter.giantfood.com/recipes/107623/waldorf-chicken-salad.
- Hydration is key! Choose water most often, but feel free to flavor it with fresh fruit, or use a flavor enhancer like Nature’s Promise Drink Enhancers, free from any artificial sweeteners or ingredients.
- Take shortcuts.Feeling overwhelmed with tasks this month? Cut yourself some slack by getting precut fruits and veggies. They pair well with dips like hummus and peanut butter, plus you can cross one thing off your to-do list.
- Get the kids involved. Help your kids learn their food groups by letting them pick one item from each group for lunchboxes. Kids are more likely to eat and enjoy something they’ve chosen for themselves.
- Try-day Friday.Hear me out: it’s good for kids to experience new tastes and textures, so assign one day per week to be a ‘try it’ day where one new food goes in the lunchbox. If kids like it, work it into the routine!
I hope you all find these tips helpful. As always, Giant Nutritionists are your resource for inspiration. In this case, stop in to see your local Giant nutritionist for back to school handouts and recipes, or even schedule a back to school tour with the fam!
Until next time, eat well!
Emily
Emily Craft, MS, RDN, CSP, LDN is an in-store nutritionist for Giant Food. Emily has her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Delaware and her Master’s Degree in Health Education from Saint Joseph’s University. Emily’s background is in pediatrics and weight management and she loves helping families come together to enjoy healthy, delicious meals.For more information, go to https://giantfood.com/live-well/health-and-wellness/nutritionists/.
