Tips For Healthy School Lunches

Posted: February 1, 2013

Healthy Lunch for Children: Mango Mania is back again this month with a Healthy Lunch theme!   WEEK #1: What is a healthy lunch for children?Foods from 4 food groupsFoods that are lower in fat, sugar and salt (Please refer to the chart below)Food that is safe to eat – right temperature and free of bacteriaLunch that is delicious and nutritious and contains at least 1 to 2 Fruits & Veggies  What do I give my child for lunch? Use Canada’s Food Guide to figure out how many servings are recommended from each food group for your child. Then take that number and divide it by three (ie: 3 meals).  http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php For example, an 8 year old boy or girl would need: ·        5 servings of Vegetables and Fruit ·        4 servings of Grain Products ·        2 servings of Milk and Alternatives ·        1 serving of Meat and Alternatives. A balanced lunch could then be: ·        1-2 servings of Vegetables and Fruit (1/2 cup of baby carrots and an apple) ·        1 serving from the Grain Products (1 piece of whole grain bread) ·        ½- servings of Milk and Alternatives (carton of milk)  ·        ½ a serving of Meat and Alternatives (1/4 cup of tuna).     Use this chart to help you pick and choose healthy options for lunch:   Veggies and Fruit    Grain Products Milk and Alternatives Meat and Alternatives Pepper strips (red, green, yellow) Whole wheat bread or bread sticks Fruit yogurt Roast beef or turkey roll-ups (low sodium http://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Articles/Frequently-Asked-Questions/Pac...   Mix-And-Match Food Group Lunches   - Chicken salad sandwich with whole wheat bread - 2% milk - Orange slices - Cauliflower trees & carrot sticks - ½ whole wheat bagel - Hummus (dipping) - Fruit yogurt - Celery sticks & cherry tomatoes - Yogurt dip - Flat bread ham & cheese roll-up