Healthy eating habits for kids: practical breakfast and lunch tips
It's not always easy to get kids to eat in the morning. But studies have shown that children who eat a nutritious breakfast are more alert and active — both physically and mentally. Give your kids a great start by offering them a wide variety of foods.
Great breakfast choices include:
- Several varieties of low-sugar cereals
- Milk, yogurt or other dairy products
- Fruit juice or fresh, frozen or dried fruits
- Whole-grain breads, bagels, rice cakes or muffins served with low-sugar jam, peanut butter or other low-fat spreads
- Waffles, pancakes, French toast or eggs (limit eggs to three to four a week)
- "Unbreakfast" foods like cold pizza, grilled cheese and leftover chicken
Remember, the goal is getting kids to eat something healthy — even if it doesn't fit the "traditional" breakfast.
Brown bagging it
When it comes to lunch, you're probably tired of packing the same old PB & Js for your kids. And chances are, the kids are tired of eating them. Add some "bam" to brown-bag lunches with these simple, healthy twists:
- Skip the white bread and make sandwiches and wraps with wheat or rye bread, bagels, pitas, or tortillas; fill them with a variety of lean meats, chicken, or tuna.
- Top off sandwiches with vegetables such as romaine lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, or carrots.
- Make chicken salad out of last night's chicken, or pop in a piece of pizza.
- Round out the meal with some fruit, graham crackers, granola bars, vanilla wafers or low-fat cookies.