School Lunch!

three containers of lunch items

The summer has flown by! It’s already time to get set up for the school year. Some of these tasks are fun: first day-of-school outfit, or what backpack to purchase.  There are very few parents who I talk to who are excited about….school lunch.  Our team at Your Life Nutrition receives so many questions about what to put in a school lunch. What is a balanced school lunch? What do we pack it in? What is an ample amount of food to help my child get through the day? What if they don’t want to eat lunch? Who is responsible for packing the lunch? Why does my child come home from school SO HUNGRY???? 

  • Make a dense lunch. The high school cafeteria is NOT a comfy patio with a view. Well, there are actually a couple of beautiful dining areas on high school campuses I have visited where I would be delighted to make a reservation, but these are exceptions. We can assume that your teen is not going to be joyfully lingering over their lunch at school. So, the goal is to make every bite count, make it easy to eat, easy to transport. A main and a couple of easy to pack sides will best guarantee your kid will eat without overwhelming them. A main should include a starch, a fat and a protein. Examples of main dishes include: a meat and cheese sandwich, a thermos of rice and beans, a tortellini salad, sushi made with cooked seafood, a quesadilla, rice and beans, a stew, a full sized PB&J, a cold noodle salad with chicken or shrimp, ramen, rice with cooked fish, last night’s left overs, pizza! Sides might be: a fresh fruit, chopped veggies, pretzels, a yogurt, seaweed, crunchy beans, nuts.

  • Pack a snack. If your teen does after-school activities such as theater, music or sports, they will need a dense snack as well. A bar with at least 5 grams of protein, a complete meal drink or a piece of jerky and some fruit will help tide them over until dinner time. If they finish school at 3 and dinner is at 7, they will most likely need a snack. 

  • Use appropriate containers. Many containers you see in the store or online are adorable. But do they have enough room for the amount of food you need to eat? The main compartment should be able to hold a full sized sandwich. A thermos or a portable bowl should be AT LEAST 16-24 oz. If you want cold food or hot food to be packed, the thermos should hold temperature for at least 6-8 hours. It might be worth hunting for a larger thermos online than just picking up what you find at Target. 

  • Your teen should be involved as much as possible. Set up a regular routine that your teen can consistently execute even when they have a rehearsal or a test to study for. Some teens are able to get their whole lunch together. Others struggle. If your teen can even just get their water bottle set up, great. Consistency is the key. Make sure they are clear on what they are responsible for. Maybe it’s just putting the snack in their backpack, maybe it's getting the sides. This sets them up for the future responsibilities they will have after high school to feed themselves ALL THE TIME! Yep, at some point, they will be preparing all their own food. Better to get some skills going now.

  • Help them notice how they feel when they have eaten a full lunch. If your teen is able to notice body cues, help them identify what it feels like to have a satiating lunch. Did they feel more focused in class? Did they perform better at their sport? Do they have more energy? Are they LESS grumpy when they get home?

Eat breakfast. We can’t write an article about lunch without mentioning….breakfast. Some teens wake up feeling pretty anxious in the morning. Some teens have a late night snack and wake up less hungry.  It is a good goal to get something in before leaving the house or even on the way to school. This could be a breakfast burrito, a slice of cold pizza, a granola bar, a protein shake.  Whatever fits into the schedule and the appetite.  Again, try to keep the expectation consistent that they will eat or drink something every morning. There is always the possibility that something could disrupt lunch time and a teen going until 4pm or later to eat is NOT supporting focus, strength, growth or balance.