Tips for School Lunches

Its that time of year again when kids go back to school with lunch boxes in hand.  Parents face many challenges when sending their children off to school with those brown bag lunches.  Its tough to find the time to put together those school meals, making sure your kids get the proper nutrition they need and making something tasty enough for your kids to actually eat that packed meal! School lunch is a huge opportunity to provide your child with the calories, protein, fiber and fat they need. Its also a great way to sneak in those vitamins and nutrients they may not be getting at other meals. The same rules that apply for you, apply to your kids meals-switch that white processed bread and pasta for whole grain, stick to lean protein sources and avoid packaged goods where you can.  Here are some tips to help make those school lunches a little easier to plan and implement.

• Try and prepare ahead of time as much as possible. The more you do ahead, the less rushed you will feel in putting together meals. Buy precut vegetables and snack pack items that can easily be packed and consumed.
• Always choose complex carbohydrates.  If your kids like cereal for lunch, make sure it has at least 4 grams of fiber and less than 8 grams of sugar (Cheerios and oatmeal are always great choices). Use 100% whole grain bread for sandwiches and avoid snack foods like potato chips and pretzels.
• Ditch the juice and fruit roll ups! Pack water to keep kids hydrated and have your child eat their fruit. Pack at least one fruit every day.  They will consume less sugar and increase their fiber intake. If they like fruit cut up, you can pre slice an apple and keep it together with a rubber band-the fruit wont turn brown and mushy and its a great snack or buy pre made fruit salad.
• Include those veggies. Baby carrots, celery sticks, cut up pepper, sliced cucumber….any veggie they like.  Include hummus or ranch dressing for dipping to keep it fun.
• Always provide a lean protein source.  Whether its grilled chicken, water packed tuna, hard boiled egg, edemame, non fat dairy, peanut butter or whatever you know your child enjoys, always include some source of healthy protein.
• Build those bones.  Low fat/non fat dairy is always a great choice to include in meals.  Non fat greek yogurt, string cheese, snack packs of cottage cheese are just a few good portable choices.
• Provide snacks.  Snack packs of almonds, quality snack bars with as few ingredients as possible, such as KIND or Larabar, another serving of fruit, are good choices to pack for kids to eat throughout the day when they get hungry.

Get creative and include your child in their school lunch choices. The more you can incorporate your child into their food selections, the less struggles you will have! School lunches are a great way to give your child the leg up they need for growth, brain function and development.   Mini Grilled Chicken Club

• 1 small zucchini, chopped (1 cup)
• 1 large garlic clove, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for grill
• 4 chicken cutlets (3/4 pound total)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 small sandwich rolls, cut into thirds crosswise
• 1 small tomato, cut into 8 thin slices
•  

1. Combine zucchini, garlic, basil, Parmesan, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon oil in a food processor; process until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl. 2. Preheat a lightly oiled grill over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper; grill until golden and cooked through (about 4-5 minutes). Transfer to a cutting board; slice in half. Toast cut sides of rolls on grill until golden on one side (about 1 minute). 3. Top bottoms of rolls with half of chicken and pesto; top with middle piece of roll. Layer rolls with remaining half of ingredients and tomato slices. Top with remaining part of roll. Serve.

Summer Heat and Hydration

Its always important to keep your body well hydrated, but it becomes especially challenging during the hot summer months. As we sweat during the hot months or while we exercise, our bodies lose water and it can impact normal bodily functions negatively.  Do not wait until you feel thirsty. That is a sign you are dehydrated.  Drink continuously throughout the day before you feel thirsty. Everyone needs different amounts of fluid.  If you sweat a lot, exercise vigorously, are elderly, take certain medications, have heart disease or diabetes, you may need more hydration than the average person. What are the obvious signs of dehydration?

• Light- headedness
• Dark colored/strong smelling urine
• Flushed skin (looking red)
• Dry cough
• Fatigue
• Heat intolerance
• Swollen feet
• Nausea/vomiting

The best source of hydration is water. But if you plan on exercising longer than an hour or if you are going to be in the sun for a prolonged time, you might consider a sugar free sports drink or sports drink with 6-8% carbohydrate (maximum). These drinks replace the sodium and potassium lost through sweating. Juice, sweetened sports drinks and soda have too much sugar (10% carbohydrate on average) and drinks loaded with caffeine (cola, tea, coffee and some sports drinks) are dehydrating, pulling water out of the body like a diuretic. Alcohol is also very dehydrating so limit as much as possible. The rule of thumb for workouts of 1 -1/2 hours or less and hydration:

• Drink approximately 16 ounces of cool water 1-2 hours before you exercise.
• Drink about 16 ounces of cool water 15 minutes before you exercise.
• Drink about 5 ounces of cool water every 10 minutes during exercise.
• Have about 34 ounces of water on hand every hour you exercise.
• Drink about 16 ounces of water right after exercise.

If you really want to know how much fluid you need, weigh yourself before and after exercise to see how much you have lost from sweat. For every pound you lose, you need to replace with 1 pint (16 ounces) of water. Approximately 20% of our hydration comes from the foods we eat.

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 Foods with the highest hydration, in order of water content, include:

• Cucumbers 96.7%
• Iceberg lettuce 95.6%
• Celery 95.4%
• Radish 95.3%
• Tomato 94.5%
• Green pepper 93.9%
• Cauliflower 92.1%
• Watermelon 91.5%
• Spinach 91.4%
• Star fruit 91.4%
• Strawberries 91%
• Broccoli 90.7%
• Grapefruit 90.5%
• Carrots 90.4%
• Cantaloupe 90.2%

Staying hydrated is just as important as proper fueling through good nutrition.  It is important to stay mindful about water consumption throughout the day.  If staying well hydrated is a challenge for you, try setting an alarm in your phone reminding you to drink that water.

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 If you really do not enjoy consuming water, try keeping a pitcher of water in your refrigerator flavored with lemon, lime, mint or ginger. You may just find its easier than you think to keep that body well hydrated!

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Watermelon Gazpacho From EatingWell:  August/September 2005   Makes: 6 servings, generous 1 cup each Active Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes

NUTRITION PROFILE

• 8 cups finely diced seedless watermelon, (about 6 pounds with the rind) (see Tip)
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

1. Mix watermelon, cucumber, bell pepper, basil, parsley, vinegar, shallot, oil and salt in a large bowl. Puree 3 cups of the mixture in a blender or food processor to the desired smoothness; transfer to another large bowl. Puree another 3 cups and add to the bowl. Stir in the remaining diced mixture. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
• Tip: Melon selection & storage: Look for symmetrical unblemished melons, without flat sides, that have a creamy yellow spot on the bottom indicating ripeness. At 92% water, this fruit should feel heavy when you heft it. Precut melon flesh should be dense, firm and appear moist. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week or keep in a cool, dark spot. Cover the cut surface of melon with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Per serving: 116 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 2 g protein; 2 g fiber; 296 mg sodium; 345 mg potassium. Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (110% daily value), Vitamin A (45% dv).