School days

Kids need more than pens, pencils, and notebooks to successfully get through a day at school. They also need healthy lunches. Here are some tips on how to make sure your child eats healthy foods while at school:

• Get your child involved with the planning and packing of lunches.
  
• Acknowledge his or her likes and dislikes.
  
• Assemble lunch the night before to avoid morning delays and/or hurried choices.
  
• If your child buys lunch at the school cafeteria, make sure he or she knows the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods.
  
• Teach your child about portions and portion control.
  
• Think healthy and think light.
  
• Teach your child to eat until no longer hungry, not until “stuffed.”

Stumped for ideas on what to pack?
Try these:

Main dishes

• Sandwich made with whole-grain bread, lean meat and low-fat cheese, or peanut butter and all-fruit jelly on whole grain bread
  
• Pita pocket stuffed with shredded turkey, chicken, or light roast beef; or grated vegetables, low-fat cheese, and light salad dressing
  
• Mini pizza, whole-grain English muffin, or bagel topped with turkey pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, and garlic herb cream cheese
  
• Low-fat tuna or chicken salad on a mini bagel

Fruits and vegetables

• Red pepper strips, carrots, celery, sugar snap peas, green beans, or jicama sticks with salsa or light ranch dressing
  
• Fresh fruit
  
• Fruit cups
  
• Applesauce

Healthy snacks

• Low-fat yogurt, either in a container or in a tube
  
• Wheat crackers with peanut butter or low-fat cheese
  
• Cottage cheese, with or without fruit
  
• Pudding made with skim milk
  
• String cheese
  
• Salsa with baked chips
  
• Peanuts
  
• Small bag of light popcorn

Occasional treats

• Baked or low-fat potato chips
  
• Fun-size candy bars
  
• Low-fat cookies

Foods to limit

• Regular snack chips (potato, tortilla, etc.)
  
• Full-sized candy bars
  
• Regular cookies
  
• Canned fruits in sweetened syrup