Start the School Year Right with Healthy Packed Lunches

September 7, 2015 | Community News

The start of the school year means early mornings, busy schedules and a calendar full of activities and assignments. With so much going on, it is important to ensure that kids have proper nourishment to help keep their minds and bodies focused and energized throughout the year. Packing healthy lunches is a simple, effective way to help kids start the school year off on the right foot.

New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids (NJPHK) recognizes how important it is for parents to provide their children with healthy foods and the significant impact a healthy diet can have in the classroom and beyond. “Sending kids to school with a healthy packed lunch can help them succeed in and out of the classroom. When children have a well-balanced diet they can focus on their studies instead of their stomachs,” said Darrin Anderson, Deputy Director of NJPHK. “We, at NJPHK, continue to work toward giving families access to affordable, healthy food, so they can provide their children with healthy lunches and help them flourish at school.”

Prepare healthy packed lunches with these quick tips in mind:

• Give children a well-balanced meal by incorporating plenty of fruit and vegetables and cutting down on high-sugar and processed foods
• Choose water over soda, sports drinks or other sugary beverages
• Prepare food items in bulk at the beginning of the week to save time
• Have fun! Make preparing lunches a family activity

Packing healthy school lunches is an opportunity to get kids in the kitchen and give families time to bond. “When we bring children into the kitchen and teach them about food prep, portion size and food type it enables children to bond with their parents, take ownership of their health and empowers them to make healthy choices on their own,” said Anderson. By working together to pack nutritious school lunches at home, families can contribute to building a culture of health that extends into the school and community-at-large.

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