If packing school lunches is in your near future, Giant Eagle^® can help you plan accordingly. The first step is to buy something that holds food safely until lunchtime and also passes the kid test. This is the time to involve your child in choosing a lunch bag or container that they'll enjoy carrying to school.

Now, let's think about the choices for filling the lunch bag with items that are healthy, tasty and convenient — and devise a plan to prepare you for each week.

• Invest in a large calendar for planning ahead. This can also be your Giant Eagle^® shopping list of foods to buy.
• Involve your children in the lunch planning and packing. Even youngsters can help and it's more likely they will eat foods they choose.
• Plan meals using the food pyramid: one or more fruits and vegetables, a protein (often combined with a grain) and a dairy or other calcium-rich food. It's OK to add a treat. Just keep it smaller than the lunch!

Here are some ideas for the protein foods that might be a sandwich or wrap, a soup (in a thermos) or a salad. These may need to be refrigerated so be sure there is an insulated container or an ice pack. A small bottle of frozen water also works.

• Sandwiches, pita pockets or wraps (try whole grain) with turkey, peanut or soy butter, hummus, cheese slices or lean ham. If your school won't allow peanut butter because of another child's allergy, try sunflower seed butter.
• Hummus, peanut, sun or soy butter with raw veggies and pita chips.
• Cut greens with cut cheese, lean meat, beans, or other protein foods.
• Yogurt and a whole grain granola bar.
• Hard cooked egg slices or a cheese stick with a side salad or salsa.
• A pasta salad with cubes of low fat cheese, lean meat, or beans.

Fruits and veggies are the next focus for their crunchy texture as well as health benefits. A healthy lunch has at least two servings from these food groups and can double as a sweet with some nutritional benefit too!

• Cut fruit with yogurt for a dip.
• Cut cucumber, celery, carrots, pepper and salsa or a low fat dip.
• Kiwi: washed, cut in half and packaged with a spoon so it can be scooped out and enjoyed.
• Tomato, lettuce, cut cucumbers and other veggies to add to the sandwich or wrap.
• Fruit kabobs (fruit cubes, strawberries and grapes on a straw). Add some cheese cubes to make this a protein food.

Check school policies before you go beyond the basics since more schools are supporting the idea of healthy lunches. Some choices might be a small cookie, baked tortilla chips, pretzels, trail mix, or a few chocolate kisses. Add a beverage, treat and hand wipe and lunch is served!

Have a question for Judy about this article or need some healthy recipes?
Send her an e-mail at nutritionist@GiantEagle.com.

August 2009