We’re headed back to school and planning for success with your child’s lunch. Most school lunch menus are not a good fit for our Brain Balance students. In order to make the most of your child’s program, we recommend our students pack their lunch and snacks.
School mornings are busy! Instead of trying to figure out lunches ahead of time, help the mornings go smoothly by packing lunches the night before. Here are a few tips for a clean eating, Balance 360 approved lunch that your child will love:
- Cut up fruits and veggies and pack them in individual containers or bags. Our kids tend to have very short lunch periods; a whole apple may take too long to eat!
- Get your child involved; the more that they have some say in what is for lunch, the more likely they’ll be excited about it. Rather than a wide open “what would you like for lunch,” give guided choices such as “would you rather have sliced kiwi or oranges?”
- Include an extra snack or two so that they have no reason to splurge at the vending machine or at an after school activity.
- Make sure that your child can open all of the lunch containers; younger children and those with dexterity challenges might not be able to open thermoses or reusable containers.
- Bento boxes are a great teaching tool for learning about a balanced lunch. Assign labels for your bento box and have your child help you fill it; “what shall we put in the vegetable section for tomorrow?”
- Skip trades; make sure that your child understands that their lunch is what you two pack, not anything from their friend’s lunchbox. Offer an incentive for following the rules.
- Include something packaged that is healthy. Sometimes our kids feel self-conscious about their lunch looking different from their fellow classmates. Small 100% juice boxes, applesauce squeeze pouches, air popped popcorn and fruit leathers can all make a healthy lunch seem more normal.
- Don’t forget the water bottle! Your child’s brain and body will be ready for the rest of the school day if they’re well hydrated.
About Balance 360 Nutrition
Balance 360 nutrition focuses on research-backed recommendations to optimize brain health, development and performance. By providing education and support around our pillars of nutrition we empower you to set a foundation of a brain-healthy lifestyle. Through one-on-one meetings with our nutrition experts we meet you where you are and help you set realistic, achievable goals to elevate your brain health.
Our primary areas of focus consist of fuel, hydration and reducing systemic inflammation. Fuel provides our bodies and brains the nutrients needed to function at an optimal level. Proper hydration affects every cell in our bodies. We work to identify and minimize common dietary drivers of inflammation including added sugars, ultra-processed foods, dyes and artificial sweeteners.
