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Packing nutrition into school lunches
By Tara Renee Settembre Special Correspondent It’s a typical Monday morning, and millions of parents in homes all across the country are busy packing their children’s school lunches. Then the common thought occurs: What should I pack today? Of course parents want to give their children a nutritious, well-balanced meal, but at the same time, something those children will actually eat. What’s a parent to do? One option is to send money for a school lunch. Another is to pack a lunch following some guidelines from KidsHealth.org. Some healthy lunch additions include breads, like bagels, rolls and English muffins, according to Dr. Kim Rutherford, an expert who gives advice on the Web site. The site is run by The Nemours Foundation’s Center for Children’s Health Media and provides families with doctor-approved health information about children. Pasta salad is another option, but the site suggests using fun-shaped or colored pasta. KidsHealth also says "Chicken, tuna, or egg salad is packed with protein. Serve it in pita bread or in a small cup or container (and remember to go light on the mayonnaise). Luncheon meats, such as lean cuts of turkey, ham or roast beef are favorites with kids. Make old standbys with a new twist. A plain peanut butter and jelly sandwich will excite kids when it’s jazzed up with raisins and granola." Greenwich resident, mother and registered dietician, Eugenia Pelaez, also emphasizes the importance of making snacks fun for kids, which encourages healthy eating. "Like adding fruit to Jell-o … Include pudding cups, that yogurt product Go-gurt," she says. "Pack fruits, vegetables and milk or cheese and crackers for calcium if kids don't like milk that is. That's the healthy way to do it." The site also urges parents to not forget raw vegetables. And food isn’t the only thing they suggest adding to school lunches — a special love note or card is a great addition. "It’s a guaranteed self-esteem booster, and it will give your child the extra confidence he needs to get through a test or a difficult subject in school." When asked what types of foods parents should add to their children’s lunches, John Hopkins, the food service director for Greenwich Public Schools, jokes that parents are better giving their children $2 so they can buy what they want. "Kids are finicky and they want to eat what they want to eat," Hopkins says. He reassures parents, however, that Greenwich’s lunch program is based upon the USDA School Lunch Program. This program, based upon the nutritional Food Guide Pyramid put out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, sets the guidelines on which items should be included on school menus. The schools also make sure that the meals they offer have the right amount of nutrients, like carbohydrates, and meet calorie requirements. They even use a computer program called Nutra-Kids to double check the ingredient amounts used in recipes. Hopkins says they are always looking for new products. "We keep choices varying from two hot choices to two cold choices," he says. "There are usually five different choices of meals for kids in the elementary level, seven at middle schools and about 15-20 at the high school." Some of the schools’ cold choices include yogurt, bagels, sandwiches and various cold cuts. While hot choices are anything from tacos to hamburgers and chicken nuggets, along with a side vegetable and fruit. Choices for younger students are limited in an attempt to make sure they’re choosing the most healthy items. Older students get the more choices in the hope that something that’s offered will interest them. High school students are given the most variety, with pasta and taco carts and a grill section available, along with the daily hot and cold choices, plus pizza, soup, ice-cream bar and snacks. Hopkins says they work hard to make sure the students eat a well-balanced meal. "Cafeteria cashiers are trained to see if everything is on a student’s plate, to make it a more balanced meal," he says. "If they see a plate that just has meat, they will suggest that the student go get fruit or a vegetable." According to Hopkins, about 50 percent of students purchase their lunches at the school. "There are about 10,000 students in the schools each year, 3,000 buy pre-paid meals, and about 2,000 buy a la carte items." |