BACK TO SCHOOL LUNCHES

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS

"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower."
                                                  -- Steve Jobs

Summer vacation for America�s kids is coming to a close and the first day of school is almost here.  What was the best part of YOUR summer vacation?  

Lead the way for a great school year by innovating with school lunches.  The best school lunch your kids will get is the one they make with you.  Getting the right balance of good carbohydrates, lean protein, and the healthy fats can make the difference in your kids' success at school (and your success at work).  

Let�s start by planning:

1.  Pick out a great lunch box for each of your kids (and one for you so you can take healthy lunches to work).  Google �bento lunch boxes� for new ideas.  What is a bento?  Quite simply, a bento is a visually appealing lunch in a box.  According to Wikipedia, a bento is �a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine.  A traditional bento holds rice, fish or meat, with pickled or cooked vegetables, usually in a box-shaped container.�  Remember to plan for a way to keep the lunch cool with an icepack inside an insulated lunch bag.  Some of the containers I have been using in our Growing Healthy Kids� programs are the square and rectangular plastic boxes with built-in cooler packs.  Check out stores like TJMaxx and Homegoods for a great selection. 

Ready to learn how to make a bento box? Click here to watch the video!

Click here for an overview of how to make a bento lunch.

2.  Take a walk with your kids through your favorite food market or big box stores like Costco and Sam�s Club.  Make a list of 10 foods that store well and can be bought in bulk (to keep costs down).  Here are some ideas:

• Nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, etc.)
• Dried fruits (bananas, apples, apricots, peaches, cherries, blueberries)
• Dark chocolate squares (Ghirardelli has always been my favorite brand since visiting Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco throughout my childhood growing up in California.)
• Pretzel sticks
• Triscuit crackers
• Miniature whole grain bagels (which can be frozen)

3.  Now make a list of protein foods that can be easily prepared once or twice a week.  Here are some ideas:

• Hard boiled eggs
• Quinoa salad
• Hummus (pack with celery, carrots, or cucumbers)
• Tuna
• Canned wild salmon
• Wrap sandwiches made with whole grain breads (check out flat-outs and La Tortilla Factory�s choices).  These can be used with sliced cheeses and low-fat meats like turkey. 
• Peanut butter or almond butter (make your own cracker sandwiches with whole grain crackers or flatbreads)
• Whole grain pasta salad (use Dreamfields rotini pasta as the base)

4.  Keep a chart in the kitchen of the seasonal fruits and veggies where you live so you can incorporate those into the plan.  Fresh is best! Buy from your local farmers whenever possible.  


5.  Buy a stainless steel water bottle.  Your kids can fill it with water each night and place it in the fridge to chill overnight.  Make a family pledge to stop using disposable plastic water bottles.  Go back to school in style with the stainless steel Growing Healthy Kids water bottle--click here.

6.  Create a weekly lunch menu with your kids.  Keep a notebook for this so you can note which lunch items were a hit!   

Email your favorite summer adventures to us and we will post some in the next couple of issues of WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS.  Email us at growinghealthykidsnow@gmail.com.  

In gratitude,

Nancy Heinrich

Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. 

3 BACK TO SCHOOL TIPS FOR GROWING HEALTHY KIDS

Big day today.  It's the first day of school for kids in Indian River, St. Lucie, Okeechobee, and Palm Beach Counties.   

Here are three tips you can use to get and keep your kids (and you) on track for great health and a healthy weight this school year. 

1. Eat breakfast every morning.  The importance of having breakfast every day cannot be understated.  It really is our most important meal of the day.  The problem is many adults still have not learned this lesson.  I�ll give you an example.  Last week, I was given the opportunity to speak with the cafeteria managers of a local school district.  I asked a lot of assessment questions and one of them was, �Did you have breakfast today?�  The surprising answer was that less than half of them said yes.  Breakfast is when we get our mental and physical fuel for the day.  Give your kids their fuel.  Be a good role model and give yourself the fuel you need for the day.  
2. Get enough sleep every night.  Did you know that being sleep deprived is a great way to gain weight?  Ask your child�s pediatrician how much sleep your kids should be getting, then get your family started on some good �sleep hygiene� habits.  These include things like having a regular bedtime (even on the weekends), shutting off the TV and videos an hour before bedtime, and not eating a large meal right before bed. 
3. Plan family dinners a couple of nights every week.  We all have busy lives.  Some of the high school students I�ve worked with in some of Growing Healthy Kids� education projects have calendars that look like the Metro subway schedule in Washington, D.C. There is a great value to having time together to talk about the day over a meal your kids helped you shop for and prepare.  Eating dinner together is one of the habits proven to contribute to kids being at healthier weights.  Make it one of your family's winning habits!

 I hope you AND your kids have a great school year! 

From one parent to another, I salute you.

Sincerely,

Nancy Heinrich
Founder, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.

One of our Growing Healthy Kids learns how easy it is to make healthy pizzas using whole grain  English muffins.