By Paula Quinene, B.S. Exercise & Movement Science, ACSM Health & Fitness Specialist, ACE Personal Trainer

It’s back to school time already! With 180 lunches ahead of you this year and cafeteria menus becoming more expensive and less nutritious, you’re probably looking for healthy and delicious foods to throw in the lunchbox. Pre-packaged meals, such as Lunchables, may make feeding your child less hectic, but it’s not the best food for a rising athlete. The best way to help your child be the best on the gymnastics floor or the softball field is to pack his or her lunch. As you pack your kid’s lunch in the morning, prepare a second serving of everything for tomorrow. Consider changing up the lunch food after two days.

• Make two days’ worth of her favorite sandwich and wrap in plastic wrap to keep the bread moist. Use a napkin to squeeze excess moisture from deli meats.

• Peel two oranges then bag them for two lunches.

• Cut and soak two small apples in the juice of half a lemon and cold water. This solution keeps the apples from browning too quickly.

• Scoop one-quarter cup nuts into two separate bags. Add another one-quarter cup Goldfish to each bag for a balanced combination.

• Cube a half-cup of cantaloupe or honeydew into two small containers for two lunchtime desserts. Sprinkle one to two tablespoons of chopped walnuts for a dose of heart-healthy omega-3 fats.

• Pour skim milk or calcium-fortified orange juice into two separate lunch bag drink containers, helping your child get the calcium he needs. Children ages 4 to 8 need 1,000 mg of calcium while kids 9 to 18 need 1,300 mg of calcium. One cup of milk has 300 mg of calcium and one cup of calcium-fortified orange juice has about 350 mg of calcium.


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