Plan Power Lunches for Your Child

1/10/2012

Experts agree.  Breakfast and lunch are important in helping children have good energy and concentration throughout their school day.  Eating high-sugar or high fat lunches can cause a surge of energy, but after lunch, there is the post-lunch daze or post-meal drowsiness that often occurs.

Packing a lunch for your child allows you to control what they eat and the portion size to help assure an alert afternoon.

Avoid High Sugar and High Fat Foods
...Pre-packaged snack cakes
...Juice boxes
...Bagged chips

Try
...Pita, bagels and taco shells
...Freezing fruit to keep it fresh and the rest of the lunch cool
...Snack mix you make from cereals, tiny pretzels, raisins, or graham crackers in snack-size portions
...Cut up vegetables with low-fat dressing or dip

(information adapted from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Young and Healthy 2008-2009)