Registered dietician Mary Henson from SUNY Upstate Medical University suggests sending your child’s lunch to school with them, to give you more control over what they eat every day. She has three tasty and nutritious lunches, sure to put a smile on young faces.
Meal #1
Mary suggests small servings of Beans & Rice in a Thermos with a little low-fat cheddar cheese shredded on top, and a side of corn. Add baked tortilla chips and salsa, a nectarine for dessert, and a bottle of water. Mary finds that peeling or slicing the fruit into individual pieces gives you better odds that the fruit will be eaten and not come home whole and untouched.
Calorie Count | Beans & Rice: | 120 calories |
| + 1oz. Low-fat Cheddar | 80 |
| Corn: | 80 |
| Baked Chips: | 120 |
| Salsa: | 40 |
| Nectarine: | 60 |
| Water: | 0 |
| Total: | 500 |
Meal #2
A more traditional lunch might include a turkey sandwich (on whole-grain bread or wrap), a cup of pudding (a source of calcium), tangerine slices, and a small snack of healthy-choice cookies (she likes “Snikiddy Snacks," because they’re organic and good tasting), plus a juice box.
Calorie Count | Turkey Sandwich | 220 calories |
| Pudding | 100 |
| Tangerine Slices | 60 |
| Snikiddy Snack Chocolate Chippers | 120 |
| Juice | 60 |
| Nectarine: | 60 |
| Total: | 560 |
Meal #3
Mary spices things up a little with a “Thermos Lasagna.” She alternates round slices of whole wheat tortillas, ricotta and mozzarella cheese, baby spinach and hot tomato sauce in the Thermos. The heat from the sauce cooks it all by lunchtime. She adds a small salad (with low fat salad dressing “on the side” in a small sealable snack bag) and milk to complete the meal.
Calorie Count | Lasagna in Thermos | 300 calories |
| Salad Dressing | 120 |
| Salad | 30 |
| Milk | 110 |
| Total: | 560 |
