The time has come. Gone are the days of relaxing poolside with a cocktail in our hands. (At least we wish this is how the summer went down). It’s officially back to school season! We’re sure some parents are rejoicing at the thought of their children going back to school, but before you jump in full force, make sure you’re aware of the preparation that back-to-school time brings, especially those school lunches. 

One topic that’s often overlooked when it comes to back-to-school season is children’s change in nutritional habits. It’s common for children’s nutrition to be out-of-whack during the summer months due to a laid-back and unstructured schedule. It can be easy for this lack-of-nutrition to carry over into the school year, too. A great way to combat this is planning, and we’ve got some suggestions.

At Shefit, our goal is to promote health and wellness for women of all shapes and sizes, but our underlying goal is to encourage all individuals to be the happiest and healthiest versions of themselves. Leading a healthy example bleeds over into your family structure, so we’ve designed this blog to set you and your kiddos up for success by giving you some tips on the importance of sound lunch, and what to include in their (or even your) brown bag:

Don’t set ridiculously high, or low, standards:

First off, we don’t expect you to pack your kids' lunches like a Food Network pro (but, you should really check it out). However, that doesn’t mean you should skip out on providing your kids with healthy and fulfilling lunches.

Why is lunch so important?

Eating lunch is a vital part of maintaining our body’s blood-sugar levels and regaining concentration and focus to fight off the mid-day slump. Surprisingly, lunch is the most important meal of the day for children because it’s the only meal they kids have to get them through the school day. Adults, however, have access to meals and snacks whenever a bite to eat is necessary. In fact, lunch accounts for nearly half of a child’s daily nutritional intake, making it extremely vital to children’s overall health and development.

But, every child is different. How do I know what my child, specifically, needs in their lunch?

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ChooseMyPlate.gov campaign is a great resource for parents to consult when considering their children’s nutritional intake. ChooseMyPlate.gov provides daily nutritional checklists specific to your child’s age, sex and physical activity levels. Additional resources are provided, such as: meal and snack ideas, growth charts, activity sheets, interactive materials, food safety and how to combat picky eating.

ChooseMyPlate.govoffers materials for preschoolers, kids, teens and families.

Check out these brown bag options:

• Ham and Cream Cheese Roll Ups
• Hole New PB&J
• The Cafeteria Club
• Take-to-School Taco Bar
• Veggies with Cheesy Salsa and Peanut Butter Dip
• Shittake Veggie Stir Fry

Once you’ve mastered the art of lunch creation, take a look at our previous blog post for healthy and tasty after-school snacks!

For more healthy lifestyle tips, visit: www.shefit.com/blog.