Texas Last Diet gives tips to packing healthy school lunches

THE WOODLANDS, Texas – It’s almost that time of year again to start the daily routine of waking the kids up early, getting them ready, packing bags and lunches, and rushing them out the door for school for the next 270 days.

If the thought of that daily routine wasn’t stressful enough, how about this statistic: for the first time in history, U.S. children are not expected to outlive their parents. With 80 percent of foods sold in grocery stores now containing added sugar, it’s no wonder there are increasing epidemics of childhood obesity and diabetes.

Vikki LeBeau, owner of Texas Last Diet located in The Woodlands, knows the thought of packing a school lunch for your child day after day can seem daunting, but it is worth the effort. “Choosing the right foods can not only help improve kid’s health and concentration, but it can also help alleviate the back to school jitters by boosting their mood,” she said.

Packing a healthy school lunch doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive or time-consuming. LeBeau has some strategies to get through the school year:

· Be prepared. Planning a prep day such as Sunday for grocery shopping and prepping the food for the week’s lunches can help ease the stress. “Having a solid plan and having it all prepped and ready to go gives you less chance of failure,” said LeBeau. Other time-saving tips are to choose make-ahead and freeze recipes or plan your lunches to use leftovers for dinner.

· Get the kids involved. Kids are more likely to eat healthy food if they are involved in the work. “If you have picky eaters, get the kids involved in the entire process,” said LeBeau. “Not only does this help get them excited to try new things, but educates them along the way.”

· Don’t go overboard. Kids typically have only 15 to 25 minutes to eat lunch, so keep the portions small and the lunch simple. Make sure the lunch contains healthy proteins such as cheese sticks or homemade chicken nuggets. According to LeBeau, the biggest issue is monitoring the sugar. “You need to keep an eye on how much sugar they are getting, and that includes looking at the whole fruits and sweet vegetables like carrots,” she warned. “Keep sugar to a minimum daily in order to avoid health issues later on such as obesity and diabetes.”

· Make it fun. You don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen creating an art piece, but little things can go a long way in making lunch fun. Make mini versions of everyday foods. Use cookie cutters to create a variety of shapes. Use dips to make it interesting. With the help of her two girls, Vikki makes healthy dressings and dips for a variety of vegetables for their lunches.

“An ideal school lunch would be an apple, cheese stick and celery with peanut butter or no sugar deli meat in a whole grain wrap with lettuce, cucumber and cream cheese, one cutie orange, and their favorite veggies on the side,” said LeBeau. “And remember: portion control is key.”