In other countries such as Italy, the law provides that schools must serve foods to students that are organic and locally grown products.  Students in France are served foods such as cucumbers with garlic and fine herbs; basque chicken thigh with herbs, red and green bell peppers, couscous and organic yogurt.  Japanese school children take turns serving lunch.   Their typical meal consists of rice, soup, fish and milk.

Regardless of what country you live in, if your child is eating in the cafeteria, it is probably a better choice than filling up on unhealthy snacks from a vending machine, which will likely mean a lunch made of soda and chips.  According to the Healthy School Lunch Campaign, in the U.S., for example, menus served in school lunch programs are too rich in saturated fat and cholesterol and too low in fiber and nutrient rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  If your child isn’t lucky enough to have organic foods served daily at lunch, and you are not sure whether you child’s school is really providing a nutritionally balanced lunch, pack your own and send it to school with your child. 

Studies have shown that if you equip your children with healthy food to eat at school, they will be better prepared to study and learn. Leftovers, or a sandwich with lean luncheon meat or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, with some raw vegetables, a piece of fruit or other snack, plus some milk money, can make a fun and healthy lunch.

Although there are lots of convenience products available to make packing your kid’s lunchbox a snap, those products are often loaded with saturated fat, calories and sodium. Foods like wraps, smoothies and dips are fun to eat. Almond crusted chicken fingers, no bake cookies, high-fiber bulgur and whole-wheat breadcrumbs in the meatballs, which are baked rather than fried are other fun and healthy options.  Baked chicken fingers, tuna melts and good old no-bake mac & cheese are also healthy choices for kids.

Teaching kids to eat healthy foods at a young age will help them develop healthy eating patterns for life. If you are having trouble planning your child's lunches, ask your kids for their input and let them help pack the lunch.

Click Here to Watch our teen spokesperson Alli B. prepare a Smoothie

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