Healthy & filling snacks for school lunch?

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I agree with the suggestion of a higher protein breakfast. Also, I would encourage her to drink more water throughout the day. My kids' school allows them to keep a bottle of water in class with them during the day and they can refill it at the water fountain.

 

[curious3069]

Protein protein protein!!! Skip the granola/oatmeal for breakfast as an everyday thing. Think yogurt/eggs/turkey sausage/cottage cheese, etc. For lunch, check the calories on the Pita bread...maybe change to one of those 100 calorie sandwich thins? Definately up the veggie content of lunch, skip the pretzels and the candy as an everyday thing, make it an ocassional treat. If you pack a fruit, make it as fiber filled as possible. Do not pack juice-double the calories none of the filling fiber. If she does take a drink, skim milk would add protein for fewer calories. Nuts would be a great option instead of pretzels, just measure the portion. Is that something she could keep in her backpack and munch a few between classes?? (Yeah, high school was 25+ years ago, I dont' know if there are no eating rules now!!!)

You might also have her start tracking what she eats, that's a good habit to get into so you know where you are at calorie wise.


Can I make a suggestion as a former life long overweight person??? Do not stress dieting. Do not stress weight loss. Stress healthy eating, daily exercise, eating a variety of foods, making an occasional treat really occasional, correct portion sizes and don't label food as "bad". Basically healthy habits where she has a good relationship with food...the weight will come off!!!

 

[Maddies Mama]

Can I make a suggestion as a former life long overweight person??? Do not stress dieting. Do not stress weight loss. Stress healthy eating, daily exercise, eating a variety of foods, making an occasional treat really occasional, correct portion sizes and don't label food as "bad". Basically healthy habits where she has a good relationship with food...the weight will come off!!!

I second this! I was overweight until I was 22 and finally educated myself about nutrition and exercise. Been living a healthy lifestyle ever since and managing my weight, while not easy, isn't as much of a struggle as it once was.

 

[hineshm]

I fix my daughter some raw veggies with fat free ranch dressing. On other days I send fresh fruit cut up. Strawberries, oranges and grapes.

Another idea besides sandwiches: try a thermos filled with veggie soup or red beans w/rice. Stuff that is low calorie and has protein.

I also send water. It's better than those sugary drinks.

Good luck!

 

[mjantz]

We love hummus at our house. Either with piece of pita bread (just tear & scoop) or with carrots, cucumber, celery & bell peppers as dippers. DH has even used it as a sandwich spread instead of mayo or mustard. It's basically ground chickpeas with some sesame or olive oil & garlic. Sabra is a great brand but the Aldis brand is really good too. My son will eat an entire container with carrots if I let him.

 

[cornflake]

We love hummus at our house. Either with piece of pita bread (just tear & scoop) or with carrots, cucumber, celery & bell peppers as dippers. DH has even used it as a sandwich spread instead of mayo or mustard. It's basically ground chickpeas with some sesame or olive oil & garlic. Sabra is a great brand but the Aldis brand is really good too. My son will eat an entire container with carrots if I let him.

Hummus is healthful but if someone is watching calories, it's very calorie dense.

 

[sdmom]

Protein protein protein!!! Skip the granola/oatmeal for breakfast as an everyday thing. Think yogurt/eggs/turkey sausage/cottage cheese, etc. For lunch, check the calories on the Pita bread...maybe change to one of those 100 calorie sandwich thins? Definately up the veggie content of lunch, skip the pretzels and the candy as an everyday thing, make it an ocassional treat. If you pack a fruit, make it as fiber filled as possible. Do not pack juice-double the calories none of the filling fiber. If she does take a drink, skim milk would add protein for fewer calories. Nuts would be a great option instead of pretzels, just measure the portion. Is that something she could keep in her backpack and munch a few between classes?? (Yeah, high school was 25+ years ago, I dont' know if there are no eating rules now!!!)

double ditto on the protein at breakfast, skim milk and nuts!

 

[Ariel8676]

I would do an apple with some natural peanut butter on the side to dip..or and apple with a handful of unsalted peanuts, a low fat cheese stick, greek yogurt, cucumber slices. I would personally do pretzles OR a small candy bar or cookie..if she really needs those i say she has to choose one or the other.
Salad with grilled chicken and fat free italian dressing or plain old oil and red wine vinegar would be a good lunch..

Also for breakfast a fiber one bar is NOT enough..Oatmeal is good, maybe just sweeten it with some natural applesauce. Egg whites would be even better..make a nice omlet or scrambled with grape tomatoes and baby spinach (and even a handful of low fat mozzerella cheese).

 

[ccgirl]

Ohh...great thread. I am going to use some of the tips. My entire family needs to watch what we eat so we can all support my DD. I have learned that living a little no longer means eating unhealthy things. My DD likes the Fiber one granola bars. She will also eat a fruit salad (strawberry, banana, pineapple). For home, as a special treat we now make smoothies instead of ice cream. Fruit, fat free yogurt, and skim milk. Yummy and good for you too. She does like the apple sauce cups. I buy the all natural, no sugar added kind. I also pack a snack size bag of cheerios in case she feels she needs another snack. SHe loves hard boiled eggs...I don't know why I never thought to pack one. Good luck, I know it is so hard to change eating habits.

 

[sheboz]

Here is my two cents. Reduce the amount of processed food, stick to whole foods. Keep an eye on the amount of daily intake of sugar, natural and added. We are Canadian and cross to the States often. We are often shocked at the portions and ingredients of some of the food we come across. That being said as parents we lead the example for our children. Make changes for the entire family. Ask your child what she would like to eat, approach it as a team effort. I don't think children should have fat free food. Fat free is loaded with chemicals. Eat clean. I have two children with allergies and we are forced to eat in this manner. Good luck.

 

[cornflake]

Ohh...great thread. I am going to use some of the tips. My entire family needs to watch what we eat so we can all support my DD. I have learned that living a little no longer means eating unhealthy things. My DD likes the Fiber one granola bars. She will also eat a fruit salad (strawberry, banana, pineapple). For home, as a special treat we now make smoothies instead of ice cream. Fruit, fat free yogurt, and skim milk. Yummy and good for you too. She does like the apple sauce cups. I buy the all natural, no sugar added kind. I also pack a snack size bag of cheerios in case she feels she needs another snack. SHe loves hard boiled eggs...I don't know why I never thought to pack one. Good luck, I know it is so hard to change eating habits.

I dunno what yogurt you use in your smoothies so you may already do this but greek yogurt is packed with protein and very low calorie (the Fage fat free plain has like 50 calories for 8 oz (I think the cup is 8oz) and 18 g. of protein, I believe). The Yoplait and whatever crap fat free yogurts are just sugar bombs, with a bunch of thickners.

I just went and looked at the Fiber One web page to see, as they seem to be popular. Those bars do not seem at ALL healthful. I looked at a couple varieties and they're just awful - like 10 g. of sugar, nearly 30g. of simple carbs, saturated fat , etc., in what I'm guessing is a tiny bar with pretty much zero nutritional value.

The ingredients were like sugar, chocolate, rolled oats, corn syrup, palm oil, sugar, random fibre added, sugar. No wonder people like them, they're candy.

Eating a balanced diet with fruit and veg and whole grains will give you more than enough fiber. As others have said real oatmeal, not the flavoured packets (I much prefer steel cut oats to rolled, personally, as do a lot of people I know, but rolled are fine if you like them) with a bit of honey, an apple chopped in if you like, some cinnamon, is a far better breakfast than one of those bars. If your daughter likes hard-boiled eggs, one of those with a small serving of real oatmeal is a great, balanced breakfast (protein, complex carbs, fibre) that will keep her fueled for a good while.

 

[nsmith]

My DD is trying to shed a few pounds, so I have altered what I pack in her school lunch. We are trying to stay around 500 calories. The problem is, she is not feeling full. What I normally pack is something like this: turkey sandwich on a wheat pita, pretzels, apple and a snack size candy bar or cookie for her sweet tooth (hey, the girls gotta live a little).

Can anyone share any additional snack ideas that will be more filling? She does have breakfast (typically oatmeal or a Fibre One bar).

I think the reason many people are overweight is the expectation that they should feel stuffed after a meal. A sandwich and a piece of fruit should be plenty, one should not feel hungry after that, perhaps able to eat more but no need to. Maybe keep the pretzels and cookie for an after school snack.

 

[curious3069]

I dunno what yogurt you use in your smoothies so you may already do this but greek yogurt is packed with protein and very low calorie (the Fage fat free plain has like 50 calories for 8 oz (I think the cup is 8oz) and 18 g. of protein, I believe). The Yoplait and whatever crap fat free yogurts are just sugar bombs, with a bunch of thickners.

I just went and looked at the Fiber One web page to see, as they seem to be popular. Those bars do not seem at ALL healthful. I looked at a couple varieties and they're just awful - like 10 g. of sugar, nearly 30g. of simple carbs, saturated fat , etc., in what I'm guessing is a tiny bar with pretty much zero nutritional value.

The ingredients were like sugar, chocolate, rolled oats, corn syrup, palm oil, sugar, random fibre added, sugar. No wonder people like them, they're candy.

Eating a balanced diet with fruit and veg and whole grains will give you more than enough fiber. As others have said real oatmeal, not the flavoured packets (I much prefer steel cut oats to rolled, personally, as do a lot of people I know, but rolled are fine if you like them) with a bit of honey, an apple chopped in if you like, some cinnamon, is a far better breakfast than one of those bars. If your daughter likes hard-boiled eggs, one of those with a small serving of real oatmeal is a great, balanced breakfast (protein, complex carbs, fibre) that will keep her fueled for a good while.

That is what I hate hate hate about the food/diet industry...fat is bad so replace it with sugar. Fiber is good so put some fiber in a granola bar with some other crap like sugar. I am totally not militant about food at all but the stuff is touted as the healthy fad of the day and people either don't read (or know what they are looking for on the label) to make an informed decision. Yoplait yogurt is the perfect example...totally touted as a "replace a high fat bad thing with this". Now some of the sugar in any yogurt is naturally occuring lactose in milk but 6oz of non-fat yoplait has more sugar than 8oz of skim milk and less protein. Non fat greek yogurt? Same calories, but half the sugar and three times the protein. Throw in some berries and a little sweetner and it's actually good too! Totally simple change to make that's going to keep you fuller, longer, but that's not how it's marketed.

 

[curious3069]

Ohh...great thread. I am going to use some of the tips. My entire family needs to watch what we eat so we can all support my DD. I have learned that living a little no longer means eating unhealthy things. My DD likes the Fiber one granola bars. She will also eat a fruit salad (strawberry, banana, pineapple). For home, as a special treat we now make smoothies instead of ice cream. Fruit, fat free yogurt, and skim milk. Yummy and good for you too. She does like the apple sauce cups. I buy the all natural, no sugar added kind. I also pack a snack size bag of cheerios in case she feels she needs another snack. SHe loves hard boiled eggs...I don't know why I never thought to pack one. Good luck, I know it is so hard to change eating habits.

You might also try swapping out the yogurt in the smoothies for some protein powder. (I use Bob's Red Mill Whey Protein Concentrate)

You've totally got the right ideas too, your daughter is lucky! It's really hard to change eating habits because you feel like it's all or nothing when really, small changes and some tweaks in your diet can really add up.

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

large bottle of water

add cheese and lettuce to the sandwich

extra snacks --
nuts, cheese, fruit, hard boiled egg, yogurt, popcorn

skip the treat -- stay with fruit or jello

Hope that helps!

 

[sherreis]

I just went through this with DS11 several months ago. When I put his height/weight into the CDC BMI chart, he came out as overweight and I talked to him about it. I explained to him as someone who has majorly overweight my whole life I didn't want him to have to fight this battle and it would be great if he could learn how to control his weight now. Boy, did we get through to him.

He stopped asking for seconds on meals.

He started packing more veggies in his lunch and a piece of fruit.

We already used whole grain breads and he stopped using high fat meats on his sandwiches and switched to baked turkey or natural peanut butter. He doesn't like jelly but if he did he would use the no sugar added kind. He prefers apple butter and I buy the kind that does not have high fructose corn syrup in it. No products with high fructose corn syrup.

Cut out sodas and fruit juice. No sugar free soda either. I've encouraged him to drink more water and he enjoys it with lemon. He now takes a refillable water bottle with his lunch. Did you know that sometimes we think we are hungry when in fact we are thirsty? We just haven't learned the cue.


I bought a thermos for his lunch as well and he often takes leftovers for lunch. At this time of year, I usually have a lot of homemade soups around that are full of veggies and beans and are lowfat.

He will have a "treat" a couple of times a week but he eats a smaller amount and he knows that is it.

We are so proud of him. Due to his hard work he has lost about 8-10 lb and is now well within the normal BMI category.


And, of course, to relate this to Disney..... he suggested that we start what we call our "Disney training" which is walking to build up for our June trip.

 

[SarahKate]

I heart this thread!

My daughter is 9, a little overweight and starting to be more self-conscious about it. She's been more aware of the fact that what she eats can affect her. We've been slowly but surely making more changes. She doesn't have a large palate as far as fruits & veggies go, so it's a challenge to make sure she gets enough. Great ideas on this thread!

 

[cornflake]

That is what I hate hate hate about the food/diet industry...fat is bad so replace it with sugar. Fiber is good so put some fiber in a granola bar with some other crap like sugar. I am totally not militant about food at all but the stuff is touted as the healthy fad of the day and people either don't read (or know what they are looking for on the label) to make an informed decision. Yoplait yogurt is the perfect example...totally touted as a "replace a high fat bad thing with this". Now some of the sugar in any yogurt is naturally occuring lactose in milk but 6oz of non-fat yoplait has more sugar than 8oz of skim milk and less protein. Non fat greek yogurt? Same calories, but half the sugar and three times the protein. Throw in some berries and a little sweetner and it's actually good too! Totally simple change to make that's going to keep you fuller, longer, but that's not how it's marketed.

Exactly! I'm not millitant either, except for the vegetarian thing, and I consume crap on occasion (though I try for better crap - I'd rather have a serving of five ingredient full-fat ice cream than a pint of the fat-free junk with 30 ingredients and five types of sugar), but the fat free/extra fibre/activia junk posing as health food really bugs me.

 

[clh2]

My only comment - what is she drinking for Lunch? Milk is a great (not a fan of skim, personally but 1% is just fine )

Milk helps to fill up the tank so-to-speak!

 

[princesspwrhr]

My DD is trying to shed a few pounds, so I have altered what I pack in her school lunch. We are trying to stay around 500 calories. The problem is, she is not feeling full. What I normally pack is something like this: turkey sandwich on a wheat pita, pretzels, apple and a snack size candy bar or cookie for her sweet tooth (hey, the girls gotta live a little).

Can anyone share any additional snack ideas that will be more filling? She does have breakfast (typically oatmeal or a Fibre One bar).

While what you are normally packing is a "typical" American quick lunch for school, and I get the impression it's better than what she had been packing - I have to agree with the others. It's not as "good" as it could be. And with the generic description it's hard to tell the quality of the ingrediants, which can make a huge huge huge difference. The more processed the product the less helpful it is for your body, even if it seems to be the better choice.

I also agree that it would be better for your daughter if this was a whole family gets healthy together inititive instead of daughter shedding some pounds. With the focus on her shedding pounds it sends the message that SHE needs to change, rather than the family should be eating heathlier together.

Dump the processed junk food in the house for everyone at every meal. Simply do NOT buy it. If it's not there, you can't have it, making it a treat when you do grab a single at the check out, and the $ you save not buying it can buy more whole foods. Don't buy soda or juice. Drink water or tea (slightly sweet if you must but not southern syrup sweet). If you can't go cold turkey, then eliminate one processed thing at a time. Learn all the names for one chemical nasty. Start with HFCS, once you've got that eliminated (it's in everything, this may take a while) move on to your lunch meats/brakfast meats. Look for turkey & ham without added nitrites and nitrates. Believe it or not you can still buy things like cookies that taste good but have no chemical crap in them. Still better to make your own, but it's out there if you don't have time or like me aren't exactly the most talented baker.

READ labels. If you can't pronounce the ingrediants - don't buy it. If you don't know what the ingrediant is - don't buy it. You're busy, I'm busy, we're all busy, but try to make things at home and freeze some. If you make waffles from scratch for breakfast on Saturday mornings - make a double batch and freeze the rest, so you can stop buying the frozen bad for you Eggos.

Add more vegetables. Make it a game. Each time you go to the grocery store, or once or twice a month - pick a new in season grown as locally as possible vegetable to try. Make at least 3 recipes for it. If your family likes it, great. If not, well you tried it and maybe later you can try it again. You may find that you like it one way but not another. I don't like raw zuchinni or zuchinni peices in pasta sauce, I don't even like zuchinni bread, but I like julienned zuchinni in stirfry or grilled zuchinni. I haven't found a method that I can swallow for yellow squash yet. Won't touch collards or mustard greens. Don't like cooked spinach, but love raw spinach in salads and smoothies....

Keep a tray of things that you can snack on anytime in the fridge or on the counter. When you buy veggies, wash & cut them so they're ready to eat. I have a divided tray in the fridge that the kids can snack on at anytime without asking. It has sliced peppers, cucumbers, carrots, celery, and cherry or grape tomatoes. I've also taught my 7 & 8 year old at a younger age to use the Apple wedger so they can do apples & pears w/o my help.

In your daughters lunch - put crunchy veggies - carrots, celery, jicima, romaine lettuce on sandwich... Things she has to spend more time chewing so her body has time to register fullness or "not hungry anymore". Things she has to work for like shelled pistachio nuts have the same effect.

Portion control - America has a massive issue with this. Not only do we overfill our plates, but we still have a "clean your plate" mentality. Dish up less to start with, enjoy dinner and conversation together as a family as often as possible to let food digest & settle, and if you want more veggies, help yourself. With her lunches - what kind of bag or box are you using to send it in? If you're tossing random containers or ziploc baggies into a regular lunch box - the potential to accidentaly overfill if enormous. Everyone in my family has a laptop lunch (www.laptoplunches.com) My main reason for getting them is my obsession with creating as little waste as possible, but they also help with portion control. I'm not usually a fan of the USDA and it's ever changing marketing for meals - but the new my plate initiative is more reasonable than past efforts, and laptop lunches designed a page to go with it and their product http://www.laptoplunches.com/myplate.php

Excersize - together, as a family when possible. Take the pet for a walk after dinner or before school, go for a bike ride on the weekends. Play Just Dance for an hour with each other (and discover muscles you didn't know you had the next morning!) Obvioulsy the more you move and the longer you keep your heart rate up the better, but the simple act of moving is a step in the right direction. My schedule's crazy too - oldest is a competitive gymnast, middle dances, youngest plays soccer and mom spends a LOT of time in the van getting them there. So I'm not the best at this part, but I try, and am trying harder as a resolution.

Food journals - having to account for every thing you put in your mouth helps you realize what your biggest obstacles are. Also have honest discussions about the difference between "not hungry" and "full" and the difference between "bored" and "hungry" Take notice if your family is a family of "grazers". Do you munch on the basket of chips & salsa because it's there or becuase you wanted to eat it? Do you dish out more food becuase it's still on the table or becuase you are still hungry? Can you resist the temptation of a peice of cake you aren't hungry for if the platter is on the table? If you're a grazer, work to remove temptation. Tell the waiter no chips & salsa, make your plates at the counter so food isn't sitting there, sit away from the cake or move it, close and put away the tin of cookies, bag of chips, roll of ritz once you've taken your serving...

And last - it's a roller coaster. There will be great days, there will be hard days. Accept the hard days and learn from them, congratulate your family, your daughter and yourself on the great days.