VITAL LIVING

Nearly one-third of our children are either overweight or obese,
and the sad fact that this generation is the first not to have the
life expectancy of their parents is part and parcel to this.  There
is good news, however, in that one statistic states that the more
education people had, the less likely they were to be heavy, so
let’s all focus on educating ourselves and our children. Improving
children’s health by teaching them to eat better is critical to
academic success as well.
As parents, we start out the school year with a vow to make more
creative, healthier lunches only to have, by mid-December, peanut
butter and jelly sandwiches three times a week. This year, let’s
try something new: involve your child in the creation of their
lunches. If they are part of this process, their lunches are more
likely to be eaten. Sit down with your child and create a menu. Do
try to change your menus seasonally and, if possible, purchase
organic foods when you can. Here are some ideas for you.
Sample Menus:
Monday
Hummus, celery, carrot and red pepper sticks, apple.
Tuesday
Peanut or almond butter sandwich on whole grain bread, broccoli
florets with dip of choice, orange slices.
Wednesday
Cold noodle salad, snow peas, peach.
Thursday
Bean salad, red pepper slices, and apricots.
Friday
Whole grain tortilla with black beans, salsa, lettuce and
cheddar cheese.
Monday
Turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with sprouts and grated
carrots, jicama slices with lime juice, nectarine.
Tuesday
Diced chicken drizzled with your favorite dressing, small salad,
and apple.
Wednesday
Hardboiled eggs with dip of choice, cucumber slices, red pepper
strips and carrot sticks, nectarine.
Thursday
Peanut or almond butter spread on a whole grain tortilla topped
with sliced bananas and honey, thinly sliced raw zucchini with dip
of choice, orange slices.
Friday
Tuna mixed with chopped olives, chopped celery and mixed with
Italian dressing, raw cauliflower, cherry tomatoes.
Easy tips:
You need a protein source with each meal, which can be a meat
protein such as chicken, turkey or fish (such as tuna), or your
protein can be from beans, nut butters, tofu, tempeh or eggs.
Vegetables are the key to good health; so always have veggies in
the lunch. A fruit included is a healthy addition and can be eaten
later in the day for a sweet pick-me-up. Veggies and fruits also
supply a good carbohydrate source. Healthy fats are also necessary
and can be found in avocados, olive oil (used in the bean salad or
in the tuna salad), and nuts.
Especially avoid soda:
Remember to educate your child about the dangers of drinking
soda. Soda contains phosphoric acid that interferes with the uptake
of calcium causing weak bones over time. No child wants weak bones,
so be sure to explain why they need to drink water when thirsty and
to avoid sodas, except as a rare treat.
School lunches:
If your child eats a school lunch, go to your schools web site
or ask your school administrator for a copy of the menu. Sit with
your child and spend a few moments a week looking at the menu and
discussing the options for lunches. One such menu from a school in
Mississippi offers the following for lunch on Monday:
• Chicken spaghetti, seasoned corn, tossed salad, honey wheat
bread sticks, applesauce, assorted fruit juice
• Pepperoni pizza or stuffed crust cheese pizza
• Freshly made-to-order tacos, burritos, and nachos from a
selection of seasoned ground beef, or diced chicken on soft or hard
shell tortilla & toppings: shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes,
cheese, salsa and sour cream. Includes choice sides: fresh fruit
and choice of milk.
• Ask your cafeteria manager about daily vegetarian options.
• Choose from the following: freshly made-to-order sandwiches
and wraps. Your choice of bread & toppings: crispy lettuce,
sliced tomatoes, peppers, mayo, tuna salad, chicken salad, ham,
turkey with American cheese, Swiss cheese .
• Chicken strip salad or veggie lover’s wrap
• Available daily: cheeseburger & chicken filet
• Hot dog w/chili
School Lunch Tips:
Now that you and your child know the selections, you will be
able to decide together what might be a healthy choice.
• Chat about how a vegetarian option isn’t necessarily the best
choice if it’s all cheese. If a veggie sandwich is chosen, for
example, then have one slice of cheese on whole-grain bread with
lots of veggies and little mayo
• Ideally, bread should be 3 grams of fiber per slice or more;
ask the school
• Most likely, the hot dog with chili or the cheeseburger or
chicken filet will be high-fat and high-sodium not to mention that
the meats used are probably not ideal in more than one way.
• If you want to understand more about sources of your food,
watch “Food, Inc.” as a family and perhaps some of your choices
might change.
Prepare:
Set aside thirty minutes, twice a week, to go over menus and
prepare for health. Spend another 30 minutes twice a week cutting
up veggies and having them all ready to go. With a little planning,
this year’s school lunches will be healthier and require less time
once you get into a rhythm, which includes you and your child.
Recipes:
You-Create Bean Salad
Be sure to have your child make this colorful salad!
One 15-ounce beans of your choice, rinsed and drained
½ cup thinly sliced celery
½ cup diced carrots
¼ cup chopped red onions
¼ cup chopped red pepper
Olive oil and lemon juice to taste or your favorite Italian
dressing
You-Create Cold Noodle Salad
Your child should make this one as well!
Cook noodles of choice: soba, spaghetti, etc. Drain and rinse in
cold water. The amount of noodles depends on your family size.
Once the noodles are in a bowl, add something as simple as
Italian dressing, or for something interesting, make the following
(again, play with the amounts) and pour on the noodles:
¼ cup brown rice vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
1-2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
Juice from ½ lemon or lime
1 tablespoon honey or agave
2 cloves minced garlic
Pepper to taste
Next add:
Chopped red pepper
Chopped cucumbers
Grated carrots
Cilantro or parsley, chopped
Be creative!
If the kitchen experience is fun, your child will be more likely
to help in the future, and remember when he/she creates their own
lunches, they will be more likely to eat them!
Patty James M.S., C.N.C., Nutritionist/Chef/Writer
Co-author of “More Vegetables, Please!”
www.pattyjames.com
Shine The Light On America’s Kids, Founder and
Director
www.shinethelightonkids.org,
707-829-6707, 877-755-1838