Back to School Lunch Hacks!

Back to school means back to packing school lunches. Yup, I said it! If you're like me, those words sent a shudder down your spine. What's a busy mom to do? I’ll tell you what I do… I remember that “Pretty Colors Feel Very Soothing.” Okay, okay. Now you're scratching your head and wondering if this is some kind of yoga-inspired meditation? Well, I guess it could be but that's not it. Remember those words—

Pretty (P is for Protein)

Colors (C is for Carbohydrate- whole grain, of course!)

Feel (F is for Fruits)

Very (V is for Vegetables)

Soothing (S is for Snack)

Here are some healthy school lunch ideas (it also works for bagged lunches you take to work): Oven roasted turkey (P) on whole wheat bread (C) with lettuce and tomatoes (V) and a snack bag of grapes (F) and a 100-calorie snack pack (S).

or

Single serve container of plain or vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt (P) with snack bag of blueberries to either be mixed in or eaten separately (F), whole grain, high fiber bar (C), snack size bag of baby carrots (V) and a single serve bag of air popped popcorn (S)

or

Last night’s left over grilled chicken breast cut up into small pieces (P) with brown rice (C) and broccoli florets (V) mixed together in a container, with a small cup of melon (F) and 100 calorie pack of your choice (S)

You get the idea. Be creative and give the kids what they like but don’t compromise the nutrients they need. You can give sandwiches, yogurts, soups or leftovers and know that they have the well-balanced, healthy lunch they need to get through the day. Oh, and, of course, don't forget the water!