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strengthing families from within POWERED BY FOUR BARREL FITNESS
By Adam & Kristin Kleinert
What ’ s in Your Lunchbox ?
Editor ’ s Note : Normally , Kristin Kleinert and her husband Adam pen this column together . This time , Kristin took the helm .
y job at our local school
M includes daily cafeteria duty for kindergarten / first grade lunch . Believe me when I say that this ritual is a whole institution in itself : It ’ s messy and chaotic , and it ’ s NEVER boring .
Lately , however , I ’ ve been noticing more about what ’ s in student lunchboxes . Sure , that ’ s partly because I ’ m constantly being asked to peel back applesauce lids and poke straws into milk cartons , but it ’ s largely due to the rather fascinating selection of cuisine being toted into school each day .
I should mention that parents aren ’ t slacking when it comes to packing plenty of food in the lunchbox . These kids are bringing LOTS to eat , and the variety from table to table is diverse .
I ’ m always intrigued when I see new food items in clever little packages that were obviously manufactured just for lunch-bringers , as well as when I spot a kiddo whose parent / personal chef sent something yummy in a fancy , stackable container that is as aesthetically pleasing as the gourmet entrée packed inside . It ’ s fun and interesting to check it all out , and it ’ s part of my day – everyday – thus , it ’ s a subject that ’ s on my mind . And so , I ’ ve been thinking …
How can I be better at this ? Am I really packing healthy lunches that fuel my kids ’ brains and bodies ?
I reached out to Southern Indiana based nutritionist Tarah Chieffi . In addition to a career in nutrition , Tarah has children of her own and is no stranger to young palates and picky eaters . She graciously discussed a few ideas I could implement when planning and packing lunches for my own tribe , and I wanted to share them here . We began by discussing the purpose of school lunch : to refuel and replenish , and , then , to sustain .
“ We want to our kids to eat school lunches that power them and then keep them full for the duration of their day ,” explained Tarah . “ A big hindrance to that is all the added sugars kids often eat at lunch time . It causes them to crash not long after the meal is over .”
While we know snack cakes and sodas are all chocked full of sugar and sweeteners , we are less aware of the large amounts of sugar kids get from popular lunchtime items , like yogurts and juice boxes .
Tarah explained that while these foods are kidpleasing and easy to toss into the bag , our kids are often using up the small amount of fuel they can actually gain from them . Then , they quickly come back down to quite a low afterward and are left to drag through their afternoons , sometimes even becoming really hungry as they anxiously await after-school snack time .
Tarah suggested looking for ways we can cut down on the sugar we ’ re sending in lunches . “ For instance , it ’ s extremely hard to find flavored yogurt that doesn ’ t have a lot of extra sugar . Parents can try buying plain yogurt and sweetening it a little with honey . Or just tossing in some fresh berries or fruit .”
She added that when it comes to lunchtime drinks , water is usually the best way to go .
While many kids claim they don ’ t care to drink it , most will do so when it ’ s the only option available . ( Trust me , every single one of those kiddos can ’ t WAIT for their turn at the water fountain when we ’ ve been out to recess .)
Lunchbox-sized waters are inexpensive and available at almost every supermarket . Even better , parents can send in small , reusable water bottles and eliminate waste . Also , you can find naturallyflavored waters ( sometimes even with carbonation ) for kids that insist on having something different .
“ The first question they ask at any pediatric check-up or kids ’ dentistry visit is always , ‘ How much juice does your child drink ?’ That , in itself , is an easy indication that fruit juices aren ’ t something kids should be drinking in excess ,” Tarah said .
Next , we discussed other items that could be adjusted to make a school lunch box healthier . Prepackaged , Lunchable-type items are widely popular and so cost-effective , they are hard for parents to pass up . But Tarah warns those little packages contain large numbers of fillers , preservatives , nitrates and hidden sugars .
“ Deli meats can be a source of protein in a lunch , and protein is very important for a sustaining , energy boosting meal . But there are lots of better options out there . Parents can do a great deal toward packing healthy school lunches just by reading labels ,” she said .
All-natural deli meats and cheeses are becoming widely available and are often much more appetizing . Stores are even carrying their own brands of these products , making them much less expensive than they ’ ve been previously . An additional source of protein is always peanut butter or almond butter , which can be eaten in sandwich form or as a dip for apples or celery . Again , it ’ s important to read the label to ensure you ’ re happy with the ingredients before you buy .
I asked Tarah to name a couple of items she ’ d recommend for a nutritious and delicious lunchfrom-home . “ Berries are always a great option . They have natural sugars that are sweet but they are sustaining and full of great vitamins and minerals .” She also said any fresh fruit or vegetable that your child likes and will eat is always a plus , and added that parents needn ’ t be concerned about variety when it comes to packing a lunchbox .
“ If your child likes a particular fruit or veggie – say , blueberries – there ’ s nothing wrong with sending it almost everyday . It ’ s healthy and you know they ’ ll eat it , and that way you know they ’ re getting what they need when you ’ re not with them . My own son isn ’ t into cooked vegetables right now , but he loves carrot sticks and sliced cucumbers . He eats them all the time and that ’ s fine with me !”
As I wrapped up my chat with Tarah Chieffi , I asked if she had advice for busy families who want to be mindful about the nutrition they ’ re packing in school lunches . She suggested several ideas :
“ First , parents shouldn ’ t be afraid to make up a few things ahead of time that they can keep on hand during the busy the week . If your child likes wraps , go ahead and make up a few with some deli meat and maybe a veggie or cucumber , stick a toothpick in them and refrigerate in a container . That way they ’ ll be ready to toss in the lunchbox
44 EXTOL SPORTS / SEPTEMBER 2017