Tips for Packing Healthy School Lunches

(NewsUSA) - Parents might make healthy breakfasts and dinners, but they should also worry about what their children are eating away from home. According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, some school lunches contain too much saturated fat and lack healthy fruits, vegetables and legumes. Worse, children often choose chips and candy from vending machines over a hot lunch.

To combat this, parents should consider creating healthy, appealing lunches at home. Brown-bagged lunches cost much less and supply more nutrition than bought meals. But can packed lunches compete with nachos and fries? Here are some tips for packing lunches kids will want to eat:

- Get creative. Parents can use cookie cutters to make animal-shaped sandwiches or use peanut butter, a whole-wheat tortilla and fresh fruit to create a yummy "rainbow." Hand-written notes add a nice touch.

- Shop smart. Some companies now make healthy prepared foods specifically designed for children. For example, Disney recently announced that its characters will appear on kid-portioned foods that meet the dietary guidelines for Americans and have limited calories, fat and added sugar. Disney now offers snacks like Disney Garden Foodles, fresh fruits and vegetables with fun dips, in a Mickey-shaped tray. The new line of Disney Breyer's lowfat yogurts features favorite Disney Channel characters kids will love.

- Let kids pack their lunches. Children are more likely to eat foods that they choose themselves, so parents should allow older children to help grocery shop. Parents can also let kids choose between healthy options, like apples and peanut butter or carrots and lowfat ranch dressing. Younger children might enjoy using lunchboxes with their favorite characters, while older kids might prefer sack lunchbags.

For more fun, you can show your child the Disney Garden Web site (www.disneygarden.com), where beloved characters offer nutritional know how, gardening advice and printable recipes, plus online games. Or try the DisneyHealthyKids.com Web site filled with games and information.

"Article By: NewsUSA"