How to build a lunch box to help keep children energized all day

Without proper nutrition, children may experience cognitive dysfunction, disruptive behavior, lack of focus and low energy.¹ Putting together a balanced lunch box teaches children the importance of mindful eating habits.

Read through the lunch box ideas below and develop a plan that supports a child's nutritional needs.

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Nutritional guidelines

A basic understanding of nutritional guidelines is crucial for crafting lunches that can support children’s developing brains and active lifestyles.² Working with unique dietary needs (like celiac disease) or allergies (like a peanut allergy) may be more challenging. However, with research and planning, it is possible to find alternatives with enough nutrients.

Key nutrients for children

According to Danielle Stagni, a registered dietitian and nutrition therapist at New Moon Nutrition and Wellness, "Many school-aged children are not consuming enough nutrition from the vegetable, fruit and dairy food groups." She continues, "This can lead to decreased intake of fiber, calcium, vitamin D and potassium."³

A way to help you pack enough nutrients for children is by separating the lunch into sections. Half a lunch box with colorful fruits and vegetables, one quarter of grains, and an additional quarter of protein.⁴ Also throwing in a small amount of dairy (if there aren’t any allergies) is a nice complement to the meal.

Common dietary restrictions and allergies

If dietary restrictions or allergies are a factor, be sure to check food labels carefully. Ingredients like dairy, soy or wheat can be hidden in packaged goods.⁵ Make sure to inform all teachers about the foods that need to be avoided. Taking these extra steps can prevent adverse reactions and, in extreme cases, a possible trip to the emergency room. In general, it's important to check with a school's guidelines about which foods can be brought in for all students - not just students with allergies.

Planning and preparation

Break down the planning and preparation stages into individual steps to help use time wisely. Take an inventory of existing ingredients, which can be helpful when deciding what to make for the week. Eliminate food waste by using leftover perishable produce or meats.

Getting children involved in the lunch-packing process can be fun. It presents the opportunity to teach them how the different foods may help them become stronger, smarter and more energized at school.

Weekly menu planning

Consider making a weekly menu and writing down all the needed ingredients on a grocery list. It could work to shop and prepare back-to-back. Or it could be better to shop on a weekday and prepare everything on the weekend. Figure out what works best depending on the situation.

Time-saving strategies

Many stores now offer grocery delivery or pickup. In a time crunch, having someone collect the items will help save precious time. When it comes time to packing lunch, it might feel too rushed or chaotic the morning of school, so instead, think about doing this the night before.⁶

Balanced lunch components

Variety and quality are two of the most important components when finding lunch box ideas.⁷ The amount of energy inside each food is directly related to the ratio of macronutrients inside.⁸ Fats have the most food energy per mass (nine kilocalories per gram) followed by carbs and proteins, which have equal amounts of food energy per mass (four kilocalories per gram).⁹

Fruits, grains and vegetables are a good source for carbohydrates. Meats (including poultry and seafood) and dairy products all can provide a significant source of protein. Certain cuts of meat and dairy products and foods like nuts and seeds can be a source for fats.¹⁰

Proteínas

Popular and easy-to-prepare proteins for lunch boxes may include baked chicken or turkey. Chicken and turkey can be too bland on their own, so experiment with different flavors like barbecue or lemon pepper to expand a child's palette.¹¹ Try providing foods children find tasty while increasing their exposure to other nutritious foods.

Hard-boiled eggs are nutritious and involve no extra work when purchased pre-packaged from the store. Buying eggs in bulk and prepping them at home also saves money.

Frutas y vegetales

Fruits and vegetables are superheroes when providing important vitamins, acting as a source of fiber and giving children carbohydrates to use as energy.¹² Fruits tend to be higher in carbs than vegetables due to their natural sugars. Help support a more balanced intake by offering even amounts of fruits and vegetables.¹³

If making a basic fruit cup, consider pairing fruits according to their similarities, like tropical fruits or berries. Children tend to like naturally sweet vegetables like sliced red bell peppers or sugar snap peas.¹⁴ If in a rush, dried fruit and other packaged foods can be a very convenient treat.

A few dried fruit options include Well Market™ pineapple passionfruit dried fruit bites y Gold Emblem abound® mango freeze-dried fruit crisps.

Granos integrales

Lunch boxes for kids should also include grains like brown rice, whole-grain bread, and corn or whole-grain tortillas. They can be used in tandem with cheese or dips like guacamole, hummus or salsa. Look for brands that include whole grains or incorporate seeds like chia or flax for added nutrients.¹⁵

Consider whole grain products like Ben's Original whole grain brown ready rice o Well Market blue corn tortilla chips.

Dairy and dairy alternatives

When adding dairy to a kid's school lunches, there is a wide variety of choices. Yogurt cups are delicious and filling, but many brands have added sugar; so look for low or natural sugar options. If a child cannot have dairy, watch for yogurt made with a dairy alternative like coconut milk.

According to Stagni, "Low-fat dairy is the current recommendation. However, sometimes there is extra sodium or sugar in low-fat options, or they may simply not be enough calories."¹⁶

Prepackaged snacks

Prepackaged snacks and beverages may not be quite as healthy as whole foods like chicken strips, cucumbers or a glass of milk. But they can provide opportunities for increased nutrition or be fortified with vitamins or minerals. Certain healthier prepackaged snacks are better than some alternatives, such as prepackaged snacks that are high in sugar or fat.¹⁷

Look for nutrient-dense snacks that can provide energy throughout the day. A way to do this is to make sure the snack has a combination of different food groups like a grain with a protein or a fat with a carbohydrate.¹⁸

Consider prepackaged snack items like Gold Emblem abound organic dark chocolate cherry trail mix o Gold Emblem® Party Crunch Trail Mix.

Creative and fun lunch box ideas

During the planning and preparation stage, consider incorporating fun food themes along with different packing presentations and lunch containers to spice things up. Picking out the color or design of a lunch box or bento box themselves can help a child feel more excited about their school lunches.

Fun themes

Consider trying an international week featuring popular dishes from around the world. For example, a recipe that represents Greece could be Greek pasta salad with chickpeas, cucumber, feta cheese, tomato and an oil-and-vinegar-based dressing.

Another idea could be "eat the rainbow," such as making a personal pizza with different colored veggies or a single-colored snack box. For example, a red theme could include a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, sliced bell peppers, beet chips and sliced strawberries.

Snack boxes

Instead of buying pre-made snack boxes from the store, they can be made with individual high-quality ingredients at home. Buying in bulk is not only more affordable but also the combination of options is virtually unlimited. Plus, it's easier to cater to a child's taste preferences and dietary restrictions.

Stagni says, "The primary idea is to include foods from those food groups. You can follow a DIY formula from MyPlate.gov or simply choose options from each food group.”¹⁹

Here are some ideas:

• Carrot sticks, a cookie, crackers, grapes, honey ham slices and white cheddar cheese slices
• Clementines, Colby jack cheese slices, graham crackers, grilled chicken bites, honey mustard and pretzels
• Apple slices, bell pepper slices, crackers, provolone cheese slices, ranch dressing and turkey slices,

Bento box

Some children get annoyed when their foods touch one another. Bento boxes are a great lunch box storage solution because they have several different compartments built into the box.²⁰ As the preparer, this layout makes lunch packing more organized.

Some bento box lunch ideas:

• Cheese and meat tortilla pinwheels with dried fruit and nuts
• Dates filled with sun butter, mini chocolate chips, tuna salad and whole-grain crackers
• Apple slices, dessert hummus, mozzarella pearls and a sourdough bagel sandwich with turkey and cream cheese

Tips for picky eaters

Stagni understands that picky eaters can be stressful for parents who want to provide proper nutrition to their children. "Research shows that exposure to a balance of foods and food variety also goes a long way, even if the children do not eat it. You want to try to pair their safe foods with a new exposure food."²¹

Here are ideas for picky eaters:

• Cut food into bite-sized pieces or fun shapes²²
• Invite children to shop and cook with you
• Introduce new foods gradually
• Watch for patterns in the foods consistently finished (for example, crunchy or soft foods)

Help children stay energized all day with lunch boxes

Feeding children snacks and lunches is crucial for energy levels and mental performance.²³ Having a variety of lunch box ideas and a time-effective strategy for planning and packing lunches is key to staying consistent. Don't be afraid to try new things and encourage children to be involved in the preparation process.

Preguntas frecuentes

What are some food ideas for children’s lunch boxes?

When packing a kid’s lunch box, consider including the following foods:²⁴

• One fresh fruit, such as apple slices, banana slices, berries, grapes or melon slices
• Two vegetables, such as bell pepper slices, broccoli or cucumber
• One lean protein, such as beans, edamame, a hard-boiled egg, hummus, nuts, peanut butter, or roasted chicken or turkey
• One whole grain, such as brown rice, quinoa, steel-cut oats, or whole-grain bread or pasta
• Optional dairy, such as cottage cheese, fortified soy milk or plain Greek yogurt.

Note that some of these foods are recommendations for older children only, because some fruits and vegetables may be a choking hazard for younger children.

How can a child’s lunch box meal stay fresh throughout the day?

Use insulated lunch boxes for both hot and cold lunches. These can keep food at the right temperature for up to several hours. For cold lunches, you could also use freezer gel packs or a frozen water bottle to keep the food cold.

How to pack a lunch box for a child?

Include two to three different fruits and vegetables (about half of the lunch box), one quarter of whole grains and another quarter of protein.²⁵

Este contenido es solo para fines informativos y no constituye un asesoramiento médico. Consult your health care provider before taking any vitamins or supplements and prior to beginning or changing any health care practices.