Nutritionist shares simple, healthy tips for packing lunches for back-to-school

FOX 2 – For many of us, back to school means packing lunches for the kids. While some schools offer free lunches, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to bring something homemade.

How do we make them happy – and healthy? Registered dietitian Shanthi Appelo from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan stopped by to share some tips with us.

At lunch, make sure you have a good mix of fruits and vegetables, but proteins are also important.

“Protein is very important for them to have energy throughout the day,” Appelo said. “It’s very important to feed their muscles and their growing bodies.”

“And grains too – that gives them the brain power they need to learn.”

One of the lunches we have here is boiled and shredded chicken – you can also just buy a rotisserie chicken if you prefer.

Deena: And what kind of bread do we have?

“This is a whole-wheat pita, so that’s where the whole grain comes in,” Appelo said. “And I shaped them into triangles so they’re easier to eat. You can throw in a little hummus, a little veggies and the chicken, and it’s a nice bite.”

Another idea is to use leftover meatballs with some rice for a hearty lunch.

“Reheat the meatballs, and you can pack as many as your child needs,” she said. “And again, the focus is that you want to get that balance. You have the protein, you have the healthy carbs or grains, and also some dairy and fruits and vegetables.”

Deena: “One clever thing you did here is you made a wrap with fresh berries and some kind of nut butter.”

“To make it extra healthy, instead of the typical peanut butter and jelly sandwich, we take away a lot of the sugar and add more fiber to the mix by using real berries,” Appelo said. “And of course, it tastes really good and fresh. And I use cashew butter for that. You can use any kind of nut butter, but sometimes peanut butter isn’t allowed in schools just to protect students with allergies.”

These are just a few really great ideas to keep things interesting when the kids go to school, or even to pack your own lunch if you plan on doing that.