Summer is almost over and the kids are on the precibus of another academic year. This can be great for mom and dad as the routine evens back out but for our kids, it can mean less than ideal lunches. I’m sure that the nutrition board of your local school system has the best intentions when they draw up their first draft of the menu for the coming year but bureaucracy and special interests in government has its way to ruining a good thing. Maybe that is why pizza was famously categorized as a vegetable in school lunches a few years back. Your children are growing and making sure they have the proper nutrition to develop healthy minds and bodies is of the utmost importance. Let’s take a look at some ways to make sure they get the nutrition they need this school year.
The first way is the most obvious, bringing lunch from home. When you know what goes into the lunch box comes from your refrigerator you can rest easy knowing that you are giving them everything they need to be their best and brightest. If packing lunch seems like an extra chore to the already overwhelmed busy parents there are two good ways around this. The first way is simply to cook a little extra for dinner then night before and send the leftovers out the door the next morning. You are going to be cooking dinner anyway so why not make a little extra to avoid waking up earlier the next morning to throw together a PBJ and slice up some apples? Chances are that what you cook for dinner would be healthier and tastier than a sandwich anyway!
Another good way around it is to have the kids make their own lunch. Obviously this wouldn’t work if your child is too young but getting them involved in their food is one of the best ways to make sure that they really enjoy eating it. If your kid is still in elementary school, help them make it, don’t do it for them. If they are old enough to make their own, have them make it. Just make sure your fridge is full of healthy options for them to pack in their box. If this seems cold, it isn’t. They are never too young to take responsibility over their nutrition and making sure they are eating right. This helps set up good habits later on. You, on the other hand, will revel in the extra sleep saved from not doing it for them and feel proud that you are raising them into a responsible and healthy adult.
If sending food from home isn’t an option, opt for having someone else do it for you! Fresh and healthy meal delivery services such as here at Deliver Lean are popping up everywhere and are a stellar option for those who want to give their kids a healthy meal. Our kids menu is created by a team of nutritionists and chefs to make sure that the meals are both healthy and tasty for your kid’s enjoyment and proper development. There are lots of options to choose from at very reasonable prices so sending your kids out the door with a good lunch has never been easier. See our healthy kids menu options here. (http://www.deliverlean.com/healthy-kids-meals/ )
Raising healthy kids has never been more important as we see a steady increase in the occurrences of childhood obesity and diabetes. School lunches try but are not meeting the mark. Putting healthy lunches in front of our children is the best way to set up healthy habits and fight against the rising tide of chronic disease in U.S. adults. Starting now is the key. Tomorrow may be too late.
