Healthy Brown Bag Lunches for Older Kids

With obesity on the rise in our older kids, there is a great need for parents to start monitoring what their kids are eating, especially for lunch during the school day. Kids tend to eat unhealthy food that has no nutritional value, rather than healthy foods that will sustain their appetite throughout the day.

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  Choose bread and crackers that contain whole grain. Whole grain has plenty of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. By adding more whole grain to your kid's diet it will help reduce their chances of heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

  
  


• Avoid packing drinks that contain over 27 grams of sugar. Choose a healthier option such as low-fat milk. A carton of low fat-milk has 11 grams of sugar. Milk helps develop strong bones, builds the immune system and prevents tooth decay. Milk has vitamins A and B and is high in calcium, carbohydrates, phosphorous, magnesium, protein, zinc and riboflavin.
  


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  Adding fruit and vegetables to your kid's lunch will help reduce their chances of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Easy fruits and vegetables to pack include apple slices, bananas, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower. Pack some light or fat-free fruit or vegetable dip to eat with them. A creative snack option is to bake corn tortilla wedges ahead of time. Pack them in your kid's lunch with a snack-size container of salsa.