The school year is well underway, and we are finally getting settled into more of a routine in our house now. I have to admit though, one thing I hate about the school year is packing my son’s school lunch! Yes, I am a Holistic Nutritional Consultant, my jam is food and all things healthy, and I LOATH packing my kids lunches. Don’t we all feel this way?

If you’re like me, you might have kids that suffer from food sensitivities. Or, you might be struggling with another child illness that feels like that thorn in your side…maybe asthma, allergies, eczema or ear infections. Add to that any level of picky eating and all the restrictions the school has in place, and the task just seems impossible. All those lunchbox ideas on Pinterest look great. They really do. But your kid will just never eat that. And let’s face it, with how busy life is, who really has the time for that anyway!

Are you the type that grabs the boxes of gummies, granola bars, Bear Paws, Goldfish and Lunchables from the grocery store? Add in a fruit cup and a juice box and it’s a complete, healthy lunch, right? Not so much. Yes, these are easy, and the kids eat them and think they are great. But the reality is, these foods are doing far more harm than they are good.

If your child is suffering from constant colds, ear infections, asthma, allergies or eczema, it’s a sign that their body is out of balance. That convenient, packaged food they are eating is impairing their immune system, their digestion, their brain function, their mood and behaviour, and contributing to their symptoms. If we were experiencing all those things, how could we function?! We can’t send our kids out into the world each day and expect them to do their best when their bodies are not functioning optimally.

Food is the fuel for your child’s body. What they eat has a direct impact on how their body functions and how they feel. Symptoms are their body’s way of sending you a message…it isn’t getting what it needs. It is a cry for help.

If you know me, or have worked with me, you probably know that I feel very strongly about feeding our children in a way that will nourish their bodies. Every snack and meal is an opportunity to provide their growing bodies with nutrients that help them grow, help them learn, help them thrive and help them heal.

We often think that eating healthy is hard. It takes time and is more expensive. But it is an investment in your child now and in the future. And, it will ultimately save you a lot of headache.

It doesn’t have to be hard! In order to keep my sanity, and keep my kids eating healthy, I do have some strategies to make your life much easier when it comes to this dreaded daily task.

Here are my top tips for building a healthy school lunch and snacks:

Pack whole, real foods

Focus on packing real food; not processed, packaged foods. Packaged foods are full of sugar, additives and chemicals, and often contain little to no nutrition. Do they fill your child up? Sure, temporarily. But they don’t contain the necessary building blocks for life. And if your child is suffering from any of the illnesses I mentioned above, their body needs these building blocks. Ditch the Bear Paws, gummies, granola bars, Goldfish crackers and Lunchables (sorry moms…these are NOT healthy options!).

Focus instead on fresh fruits and vegetables, real meat, and whole grains. Include foods that boost the immune system, particularly if your child is often sick. And aim for a range of colours in your fruits and vegetables.

For lots of ideas on how to include immune boosting foods, download my eGuide, 9 Fantastic Foods to Boost Your Child’s Immunity here

Pack water, skip the juice and chocolate milk

Water is the most important nutrient our body needs. But most children and adults are not staying properly hydrated. Instead they are drinking sugar-laden drinks. Make water the go-to drink in your home and pack water in your child’s lunch, skipping the juice or chocolate milk. The bonus – it is way less expensive! Juice and chocolate milk are full of sugar and little nutrients.  Ideally, children should consume as little added sugar in their diet as possible. The World Health Organization recommends 5% to a maximum of 10% of daily calories, which is about 6 teaspoons of sugar. But Canadian children are consuming an average of 33 teaspoons daily!

Excess sugar has been linked to heart disease, stroke, obesity, diabetes, cancer, depression, bone and joint issues and cavities. Yikes! It impairs the immune system and damages the good bacteria in the gut (these little guys are essential for our health and a lack of these is associated with eczema, allergies and asthma). Excess sugar consumption will also cause spikes in blood sugar, which contributes to poor concentration, moodiness, confusion, fatigue and cravings. How can we expect our children to put forth their best effort in school every day if this is how they are feeling? If their brain is not functioning?

If you can only do one thing to improve your child’s lunch, reducing their sugar intake is my #1 recommendation. The best way to do that is with these first two tips.

Include fat and/or protein at every meal and snack

Fat and protein are very necessary building blocks in all the cells in our bodies. Children need healthy fats (think Omega-3), particularly for brain development. Including a fat or protein at each meal also helps to stabilize blood sugar and will help your child feel full longer. A child with stable blood sugar who isn’t hungry can concentrate, has a more balanced mood and has better energy – now that’s a better formula for a successful school day!

Don’t be fooled by low-fat labels, as these products are generally high in added sugars, and avoid trans-fats, which are usually declared on labels. Examples of fats include nuts and seeds, nut and seed butters, coconut, oils and butter (olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, organic butter or ghee), fatty fish, avocado, chia, flax and hemp. Try a homemade trail mix or granola, coconut chips, guacamole with crackers or a pita. For protein, include organic chicken or turkey, a free-range hard boiled egg, quinoa salad, chickpeas, beans or lentils. Some of the new high protein legume pastas are a great source of protein, like chickpea or pea, and kids love them!

Keep things simple

Sometimes a large bento box with so many options can be overwhelming for a young child. Where do they start? If you are packing elaborate lunches and your child is not eating well, try simplifying. Give them a maximum of three things each meal, perhaps less for snack times. This strategy has worked really well for my son, who used to come home most days without eating any of his lunch. For lunch, stick to a protein source paired with some veggies and a complex carbohydrate such as gluten-free crackers, beans, chickpeas, sweet potato or a whole grain pita.

Give them foods they like

We all have things we like and dislike and our children are no different. Instead of working against your child, work with them. Try variations of the things they do like and you will likely have a child who more willingly comes home with an empty lunch box at the end of the day.

My 6 year old son, for example, loves a warm thermos lunch. If I send anything else, it generally comes home uneaten. So this is what I tend to stick to. We do a variety of homemade soups with vegetables, protein and grains, pasta or chili. Anytime we have one of these for a meal, I make a big batch and freeze the leftovers for his lunches. It also makes lunch super easy the next day! I simply pull out the portion from the freezer the day before and warm in a pot in the morning. It’s a win for both of us! So easy and no stress, and he gets healthy food that he loves!

Plan and Prep

Planning is the key to success, and it doesn’t take much time to do. Each week, before you do your grocery shopping, take 15 minutes and plan out your child’s lunches for the week. Ensuring you have healthy food they like in the house means you are less likely to be scrambling and grabbing money for them to buy an unhealthy lunch.

If they don’t mind leftovers, plan your dinners so that you have a couple days of leftovers you can send. Or, if your child is like my son and loves soup, make it a habit to make a quick batch of soup on the weekend that you can send a couple of days during the week. Soups are easy to make…you could even throw it in the crockpot on a Sunday morning. If they like it pureed, throw all the coarsely chopped veggies in a food processor and toss everything in the crockpot. Twenty minutes of effort and you are set! Getting yourself prepared and organized will minimize your stress. And that means a more relaxed momma with more energy for the things you love to do!

Include them in the process

When your child has a say in what they are eating, and are able to help select and prepare what they are eating, they are much more likely to eat it! It also gives them a sense of independence. So involve them in the planning and preparation, and give them tasks that are age appropriate.

Implementing these strategies will result in a healthier child who is better able to learn, and is better behaved. When our children are healthy, happy and well-behaved, you can bet us momma’s are too, and that results in a better quality of life for the whole family!

It might seem overwhelming at first to make all these changes, but remember, you are doing a great job! And by following these tips, you are on the way to having healthier children and a happier you. I totally understand that not every day goes according to plan, and that’s ok. Give yourself permission to not be perfect. It is a process, and change doesn’t happen overnight. Any improvement is a step in the right direction.

Tell me in the comments, what are your biggest questions or struggles with lunchtime?