Need ideas for healthy lunch to take to school for 10 yr old niece...

[NHdisneylover]

So it sounds like healthy lunches are a good and easy place to start (and getting her dad to lay off of the comments). I thought of a few more side dishes we frequently pack:

cherry tomatoes
celery and or carrot sticks
bell pepper sticks
sliced cucumber oz zuchinni
popcorn with just a a bit of salt (no butter)

Two things I have noticed:
1.Many typical American lunch boxes hold a lot of food--more than you should really send. I buy smaller plastic boxes and fill them full. It looks like more food than in a big box. My kids keep their drinks seperate in side pockets of their backpacks.
2. This will sound silly, but I think even older kids like their lunches to look nice. I try to make things colorful. Funny how a few bright red tomatoes, or deep purple grapes make the whole lucnh seem more appealing. This is important because if she does not want to eat it she will probably find a way to replace it with junk.

 

[redlight]

Thanks so much. She actually almost always drinks water and occasionally an iced tea. This is not anything new as she has been a bit overweight for a while now. She is well aware of it and I hate that part of it. Her father is one that works out all the time and makes comments about her needing to get "healthy", but I know she knows what he really means. The emotional side of it all is as bad or worse than the physical. I was watching Dr Oz today and he said children that are obese are way more likely to be that way as adults also and that makes me sad.

Is she actually chubby or just overweight because she has more muscle? I ask because you said she was very active.

 

[aprilgail2]

Her father is one that works out all the time and makes comments about her needing to get "healthy", but I know she knows what he really means. .

He actually says that in front of her??? Thats a great way to give an early start to an eating disorder!! Please get someone that he will listen to to talk to him and make him realize that he could be doing her harm!

 

[BC]

April, I agree and have told him the same thing many times. It is very frustrating as he thinks by using the word "healthy", it is OK.

She is definitely overweight and it is not just because of muscle. She is beautiful and so very sweet. It makes me sad.

 

[acejka]

I used to take salad with chicken and a light dressing, wraps, string cheese and grapes, and don't get me started on cereal and milk-yum I love cereal for any and all meals-and I love all kinds of cereal too-sugary, healthy any! Low calorie popcorn, chunks of bell peppers for snacks.

Right now I really like the lunchables where you build a tiny sandwhich, it has apple sauce or sugar free jello, a bottle of water and nilla wafers or a cookie. They can get pricey and I think they have a lot of sodium for in a pinch, they are around 300 calories, and have nice variety and she might not feel that shes eating "diet" food, when the other kids are having things like pizza and lunchables.

 

[mumto3girls]

Our school lunches are such junk that I only allow dd to buy her lunch once a week as a sort of treat. The other days I pack. She often takes leftovers from dinner the night before-we eat pretty healthy most of the time. I know many kids would object to leftovers, but she will actually ask during dinner if she can take whatever it is to school the next day. Her favorite lunch to take is probably soup--chicken noodle, wedding, chili, veg beef etc. I make large batches and then freeze so I can always pop some out of the freezer and thaw it for her. Another staple for us is hardboiled eggs. She very rarely eats sandwiches/wraps, but sometimes. Occasionally I will send cereal with milk in the thermos--the cereal is kept separate. I also almost always include some cut up raw veggies--bell pepper strips, carrots, cucumbers etc. and also some fruit--grapes, banana, apple etc. Then usually something like a kashi granola bar or pretzels or fish crackers. I should add that she has an early lunch and so her grade gets a snack mid afternoon so one of the sides I pack is to be eaten as her snack--she can choose unless one of the sides contains peanut butter--that has to be eaten in the lunchroom as they do not allow pb in the classroom.

I will have another one to pack for next year and she loves hummus. I think that can be part of a great lunch so I am looking forward to packing that for her.