Packing lunches can be a rushed chore for parents and unhealthy items might get mixed in. Children have particular tastes and balk at new, healthy treats. We took the 5 worst items in a school lunch and came up with the best ways to replace them. Turn those sugary snacks into fiber filled treats. The key is to keep the foods interesting and not too different from what they usually get. If your child returns home with half of their lunch uneaten because they “don’t like apples” then use these tricks!
| Replace This: |
|
With This: |
|
|
|
| Chocolate treats are very tempting for lunches. They’re individually wrapped and easy to throw in their backpack. Instead of the high sugar option, try healthy chocolate cookies. They pack the same great chocolate taste, but also have fiber and fewer calories. |
|
| Replace This: |
|
With This: |
|
|
|
| Chips are crunchy and a fun snack, but lack nutritional value. It’s the start of apple season so celebrate it with some beautiful apple chips. Make them sweet or savory, but either way they’ll be gobbled up in seconds.. |
|
| Replace This: |
|
With This: |
|
|
|
| Stop older kids from eating out by packing them a delicious wrap. They hold up well without refrigeration and you can put tons of vegetables inside without them knowing. Drizzle Caesar dressing with chicken inside the wrap for a very tasty lunch that won’t have your children heading off to the fast food joint. |
|
| Replace This: |
|
With This: |
|
|
|
| Unless your child is training for the Olympics, chances are they don’t need to be having that sports drink every day. Curb their cravings for this sugary beverage with colorful water bottles. They will love showing them off to their friends! |
|
| Replace This: |
|
With This: |
|
|
|
| Resist packing unhealthy sugary pudding in their lunches in favor of fruit and yogurt. While pudding does have calcium, it doesn’t stand up to the nutrition of yogurt! Use Greek yogurt that is full of protein and sweeten it lightly with honey. Layer fruit and granola with the yogurt to make a delicious parfait that your kids will love. |
Angela Nightingale
If you want to know the best cupcake shop in any major city in America, just ask Angela. This girl knows her sweets, and she isn't shy about letting you know that your german chocolate cake needs more chocolate. If you want to find Angela on any given day, she's probably looking up reviews to decide where to grab lunch, or in her downtime, binge-watching the latest 'it-series' on Netflix.
Food Organization inside a lunch bag is one of those arts you must master as a parent.
Back to school can be a very stressful time for parents. There are daily battles with getting your children showered, dressed, and...
With cooler weather just around the corner, oatmeal will once again be a staple breakfast food.
It's getting chilly and the leaves are turning colors. That can only mean one thing- Halloween is coming!
Being a parent can be super fun, but it also has it's challenges.
We all have a bag of Gummy Worms in our pantries that we aren't quite sure what to do with.
Back to school is coming up soon and parents are searching for great ideas for after school snacks.
Many schools have a morning snack break to help keep the children's energy levels up.
It's one of the craziest weeks of the year for busy parents and we have tips and tricks to help make back-to-school stress-free...
Making the transition from living at home to living in a dorm can be both exciting and nerve-racking.
Most parents love back to school season because that means you can finally get the kids out of the house and give yourself a...
We try and teach ourselves and our little ones to respect the earth, take care of our precious planet, and be more eco-friendly.
