Turning Kids on to
Brown Bag Lunch Again
Getting kids to eat healthy can
be a challenge, especially when
it comes to packing a lunch from
home. It would be easy to just
throw in a sugary fruit snack or
fan-favorites like chicken nuggets
to appease kids and make sure
they eat, but Monica Cicchini, a
Pediatric Subspecialty Dietitian
at Kaiser Permanente, has some
ideas of what parents can —and
should —include.

“Children who eat balanced
meals perform better in school,
feel more energetic, concen-
trate better, and stay healthy and
happy,” she explains.

She shares five tips to help par-
ents ensure their packed lunch
is a success:
1. Get your child involved:
“Involving your child fosters
independence and teaches them
about nutrition,” she says. Kids
can take an active role in the
decision-making process, from
which days to bring a lunch vs.

buy, healthy food ideas they’d
like to eat at school and even pre-
paring lunches together.

2. Prepare easy snacks ahead
of time: “Mornings can be hec-
tic, so pre-preparing grab-and-go
lunch items can help reduce the
stress and make it easy.” Yogurt,
fruit cups, hard-boiled and pre-
washed fruit and veggies are all
great options. Leaving a bowl of
fruit on the counter encourages
healthy snacking.

3. Deconstruct your meals: “I
find that kids love deconstructed
meals. I recommend packing all
of their food separately so that
kids can combine as they want.”
Cicchini recommends one food
they love, one food that they are
learning to love and another that
is a challenge.

4. Packaging is important:
“Having the right packaging can
help food taste and look better.”
Reusable containers, portioned
containers and real utensils
go a long way.

5. Make it fun: Hand-on foods
kids can dip such as yogurt and
apple slices or carrots and hum-
mus, easy snacks like trail mix
and finger foods are fun for kids.

Use cookie cutters to create
shapes. Other creative options
are stackable ingredients and
breakfast foods for lunch.

What’s your favorite
school lunch?
: Local Spotlight
of y
Kiddie Academ g
in South Rid
Ben W.

“Mr. Carlton makes the best noodles
and broccoli. I don’t like when mommy
makes it, only when Mr. Carlton makes it.”
Sophie K. age 5
“My favorite lunch is chicken
sandwiches, oranges and when we
get a lot of different veggies.”
Noah C.

“I love when we do breakfast for lunch. My
favorite is breakfast tacos because the tacos are
yummy, and I can’t see the vegetables!”
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girls elementary and high school
in Bethesda made the list with
catered meals such as Brazilian-
style slow-roasted pork, kimchee,
and bibimbap.