Teaching Kids Healhier Eating

Fight back against unhealthy school lunches: Teach your kids how to eat healthier by getting them involved in making good choices.

Kids who eat school lunches have higher bad cholesterol and consume twice as many fatty meats and sugary drinks, according to a University of Michigan study. No wonder there’s so much support for changing what kids are served in schools nationwide, specifically increasing the number of high-fiber, nutrient-rich, low-fat vegetarian lunch options.

What can you do now to help your kids eat healthier at school? Review the lunch menu together and discuss healthy choices. Try to balance school-bought lunches with bagged lunches. Instead of white bread and high-fat deli meats, choose whole-grain breads (wheat, oat, multigrain) and low-fat tortilla wraps, and lower-fat deli meats, such as turkey. Instead of fried chips and sugary snacks, pack baked chips, air-popped popcorn, soy crisps, veggies and dip, homemade trail mix, or fresh fruit.

The more you involve your kids, the better — not only will they respond to the trust you place in them and appreciate having control over what they eat, you’ll be helping them learn healthy habits that will last a lifetime.