One of the questions I'm asked regularly by parents is "Any ideas for a healthy lunch?" :) Why, I'm glad you asked! Because its far easier than you may be thinking! Kids whose parents start eating healthier find less Ho-Ho's, Twinkies, Lunchables, and juice boxes in their lunches, and trust me, that is not a fun occurance for ANYONE involved! (can you tell I'm speaking from experience?!)The one thing I've learned from both having BEEN a kid, but also by having my own, is that even though kids like to have something thats on the cutting edge of new and cool, they dont want it to be so far outside the normal realm that we're actually called...gulp....different. :) Cuz when you're THAT different, then you're called 'weird' by other kids, and that is the next thing to torture for someone who's just trying to blend in and carve out their niche in their crowd of peers. So, what does that mean? Do we as parents give in and make a decision that is contrary to what we believe to keep the peace in our home? Thankfully, I dont think the answer has to be THAT dramatic of a solution!
Giving our kids healthy options but made to look appetizing and dare I say it, "CUTE", is our
goal! At our Tony Horton Fitness Camps, I've spoken about making their lunches with a bit more effort with the hopes of finding the happy medium of what they want, and what I'm willing to give. I'm a fan cute plates, stickers on the younger kids napkins with a little love note from me, cute little baggies with decorations, or a sticker from me, sandwiches cut into cute shapes with a cookie cutter, cute little containers for their fruit or whatever, so they dont miss the heavy corn syrup laden fruit cups they used to get before I knew better, cute spoons with characters on them, a decorated lunch bag with various colored markers and stickers, etc. You're getting the idea.
Do I EVER give my kid a Ho-Ho? The answer is yes. Every once in a blue moon, in teaching them moderation, otherwise they'll hit that age where they can buy their own food and have learned no sense of self discipline and balance with food. Being too extreme, and putting that onto our kids can actually bring a contrapositive result, and attaching a sense of power to food that has no business there! And 9 times out of 10 they complain that the Ho-Ho didnt set well in their stomachs because their bodies repel the unhealthy ingredients they dont normally get. What is the lesson learned there? One that I couldnt teach nearly as well with words! They get a stomach ache eating the thing I have said is not good for them, and they learn: EW. It hurts to eat that food. :)Do I make cookies and baked goods? Yes, rather than store bought - thought I occasionally buy those too - because I can substitute the butter in the cookies for coconut oil, and add in some whole grain flour instead of pure white flour, where cane sugar is replaced with fructose (I have a child who cannot have any cane sugar or high fructose corn syrup so that drives me to find newer, healthier versions of foods), and where I can put in one less egg yolk and one more egg white into the recipe! :) Little adjustments to make it better for them.
So get creative parents! A "sandwich"doesnt have to be on bread - some meat and a low fat mozzerella cheese stick with some organic pretzels is a homemade, healthier version of a "lunchable", without all the processed meat and cheese! Or make an OPEN FACE sandwich with only one piece of bread, meat, and make a face with the tomato for a mouth and a couple raisins (or nuts, or craisins) for the eyes! Or roll up that meat and some mustard and lettuce and pine nuts into a whole grain wrap, cut it in half and hold it together with a colorful toothpick! :) Lets use these quick and easy tools; recipes, baggies, markers, containers, stickers, packed with a lot of love to help our kids "blend in" but in a healthy way! :)I've posted a couple different versions of my kids' lunches over the past couple days. One a sack lunch, one an at home lunch for my toddlers. HAVE FUN with it - and get CREATIVE! :)
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