Experts recommend what you should pack in your child’s lunch box this school year

By Leah Rainwater

With school back in session, some might find packing healthy lunches a piece of cake, but one local dietitian is reminding parents to keep things balanced for their kids.

Heidi Lohmann-Schrader is a corporate registered dietitian. She said a healthy lunch consists of various items from the United States Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate chart.

“This, for anyone who might not know, replaced the food pyramid from the ‘80s and ‘90s and it’s simply a way to build a healthy and balanced ‘plate,’” said Lohmann-Schrader. “What we’re looking to do is incorporate multiple groups in every meal and snack.”

The five groups on the “plate” consist of fruits, vegetables, grains or starches, dairy and protein.

Lohmann-Schrader said a meal needs to fulfill at least three of the five groups.

“When possible, five is great,” said Lohmann-Schrader. “But, if we can get in at least three of those food groups, excellent. A place to go from there, is to ensure that we’re having a source of protein at a bare minimum and then a source of fiber (fruits, vegetables and whole grains).”

Lohmann-Schrader also said she tries to follow the same structure when it comes to packing lunch for her daughters as well.

“One thing I do is … I have two 7-year-old daughters starting first grade this year,” Lohmann-Schrader said. “I allow them to choose which days they pack their lunch, versus which days they’d like to buy one. Then on those days that we’re packing lunch, I let them choose a few different items that they want, things that they enjoy, and a couple of things are fairly mandatory. We need to have a source of protein … we’re also going to include a fruit and/or vegetable.”

Lohmann-Schrader said a few good sources of protein for lunches can be things like protein snack bars or yogurt. She also says when it comes to fruits, it can be anything from apples to watermelon or fruit pouches.

When choosing what vegetables to pack, carrots, celery sticks or strips of bell peppers or cucumbers are all good options.

Lohmann-Schrader also said if you’re packing lunch for your child five days a week for the entire school year, try to mix up different items so your child isn’t eating the same thing every day.