Healthy Teeth – What to Pack in Kids’ Lunchboxes

If your kids are heading back to school in any capacity this school year, you are likely feeling anxious. One issue that is apparently keeping parents awake at night is school lunches. We already know that our school cafeterias will be shuttered, and many kids will be eating in their classrooms according to the new CDC guidelines. This means cafeteria meals will be delivered to our kids’ classrooms at lunch time. Whether or not you are a fan of school cafeteria food before, this year you may be feeling a little more hesitant.

According to The Grocer, “Our research shows 57.3% of parents of school-aged children are now more inclined to give their kids lunches packed at home to avoid the risk of contamination and have more control over what their children are eating.”

However, many parents don’t know how to pack a good lunch for their kids. And even more, parents don’t know what types of food are good for their teeth. I mean, we all know sugar is bad for their teeth, but we still pack their lunchboxes with pre-packaged foods that are full of sugar. I’m guilty of this one myself.

The Grocer claims, “A 2016 University of Leeds study that found just 1.6% of kids’ packed lunches meet the nutritional standards set for food served in school canteens. It revealed just 17% of children’s packed lunches contained vegetables and 52% featured more than the recommended number of sweet snacks.”

Only 1.6% of kids’ packed lunches meet nutritional standards. Yikes! If you are guilty of just tossing in whatever pre-packaged food makes your mornings easier, here are some foods you should pack in kids’ lunchboxes instead.

Crunchy Veggies

Did you know that crunchy veggies work like toothbrushes for your kids’ teeth? It’s true! Since you have to chew more to eat these veggies, you produce more saliva. This helps you wash away food particles and bacteria on the teeth. So, throw some carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, broccoli, and celery in the lunchbox.

Crisp Fruit

Along these same lines, crisp fruits like apples, also help you produce more saliva. Along with the chewing, their natural water helps to clean the teeth. Plus, sweet fruits like strawberries are a great alternative to sugary snacks and treats. Add some yogurt, which is high in calcium and great for your child’s teeth, to help them embrace fruit as dessert.

Yummy Cheese

Kids love cheese, so this is an easy one for parents. Cheese is high in calcium and phosphorous, so it helps your kids have strong teeth. Plus, parents don’t have to worry about spreading germs since it tends to be pre-packaged.

Water

Finally, go ahead and invest in some reusable water bottles for your kids this school year. Not only will they keep your kid from exposing themselves to germs at the school water fountain, but water is the healthiest thing for their teeth.

What do you pack in your kids’ lunches?

School Lunch Packing Tips for Busy Working Moms

Mornings are stressful. Between waking up and rushing around to get myself ready for work, I also must make sure my girls are up and ready to go to school. Between making sure the girls are dressed, fed, and have their teeth brushed, I also have to be sure they have a healthy lunch packed for school.

As most working moms have learned, packing school lunches can be the one thing that sends out mornings into complete chaos. If you don’t have a plan, you will be scrambling to throw something into your child’s lunchbox and rushing to get out the door on time. And, the scrambling usually doesn’t lead to a very healthy lunch for your kid or a healthy start to your day.

Since mornings are not my favorite, I need to have time to wake up without feeling rushed. A chaotic morning is the worst! One way to avoid the morning chaos is to have some solid school lunch packing plans.

For other NYC working moms, here are some of the tips I have picked up that make mornings and lunches healthier for my girls and myself.

Make Time in Your Schedule

You are already busy, but I promise if you plan time to prepare and pack school lunches, your mornings will be so much better. Instead of rushing around throwing anything into your kid’s lunchbox, just schedule time to make it happen. For instance, some moms schedule an hour on Sunday evenings to prep school lunches for the week. If you don’t like that idea, then set the alarm for ten minutes earlier to schedule time for school lunch packing.

But, you should also have a plan for when we lose track of time. I make sure we have Little Bites on hand for mornings when things don’t go quite as planned. These packaged muffins really save the morning when we are rushing out the door.

Have Set Rules for What Goes In and What Stays Out                     

It won’t be nearly as hard to pack a school lunch if your family has a clear rule for what goes in a lunchbox and what does not. This makes both grocery shopping for school lunches and packing school lunches much easier. For example, many moms follow the “one of” rule – one of each of the following: protein, dairy, carb, fruit, and veggie. And, don’t forget to pack something to drink! In our house, I always make sure my girls leave for school with a bottle of water.

Let Your Kids Help

There is no reason you should have to do everything (especially when you are doing so much already!). School lunch packing is not difficult – it is simply time-consuming. Instead, let your kids help. If they know what things should go in their lunchbox, it will make this much easier! Also, it is a good idea to have school lunch items in places they can reach. For example, use the lower shelves of the refrigerator or the pantry for school lunch items only.

Bonus – take your kids grocery shopping with you! Grocery shopping for school lunches is full of teachable moments. You can point out healthy foods they can buy for their lunches and teach math skills. Plus, they are more likely to be excited to help pack their lunches if they have chosen what will go inside their lunchboxes.

Stock Up on Storage Solutions

All moms have their own ways of packing their kids’ school lunches. No matter if you want to use Bento boxes or Ziploc bags, you want to be sure you always have enough storage solutions on hand.

Do Your Prep Work

Like scheduling time to pack lunches, your mornings will be much smoother if you have done some prep work ahead of time. If you have leftovers, go ahead and store them in the containers you use for school lunches. Also, cutting fruits and veggies ahead of time will help out tons in the rush of the morning.

Don’t Forget Before and After School

Finally, don’t forget to make sure your kids take their vitamins in the morning before they go to school. While we can’t make sure they eat what is in their lunchbox, we can make sure they take their Zarbees vitamin.

Additionally, it’s a good idea to have after school snacks ready. This doesn’t mean you have to bake cookies or anything – simply have an after-school basket full of snacks ready for them.