By Kaitlyn Helfrich, Dietetics Student, University of Florida
Reviewed by Laura Acosta, MS, RD, CSSD, LD/N, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Florida
Thinking about my brown-bag lunches from elementary school days instantly makes me nostalgic. I can still clearly remember opening the crisp brown bag to reveal a lovingly prepared lunch with all of my favorites. It was my mid-day slice of home.
This May, National Brown-Bag-It Day reminds us that packed lunches don’t have to be just a childhood memory. No matter our age, packing a lunch is an ideal option for nutritious, delicious fare that’s easy on the wallet.
Pack colorful
Including colorful fruits and vegetables is a great way to make packed lunch exciting and eye-catching. Not only will fresh produce transform your lunch into a vibrant kaleidoscope, it will also provide a boost of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, important for so many aspects of health. When packing those beautiful fruits and veggies, the key is variety. Consuming a rainbow of different colored fruits and vegetables helps to ensure you get an optimal array of nutrients from these powerhouses.
A few tips to try:
- Add spinach or other leafy greens to your sandwich or wrap
- Pack some frozen berries with your favorite yogurt (bonus: they will keep it cold until lunch!)
- Throw in an apple or orange as a perfect pre-portioned snack
Include a sidekick
Sometimes, especially for kids, eating vegetables can be a chore. A literature review from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that when vegetables are paired with a favorite accompaniment, children tend to eat more of them. Try including these kid-friendly “sidekick” dips:
- Hummus
- Light ranch dressing
- Peanut butter
- Yogurt dip
Make it fun
Get creative and include your child in the lunch-packing process. A recent Cornell study found that simply renaming vegetables with kid-friendly names can increase consumption. So, while you’re packing, introduce your little one to the newest “superman spinach”, “brainiac broccoli”, or “groovy green beans” to increase her excitement and interest in vegetables.
What are some of your favorite tips for brown-bagging it? Can you think of some other fun names for healthy foods? What colorful fruits and vegetables do you like to pack? Let us know in the comments below!
Further Reading:
Tips for Nutritious School Lunches
References:
Keller, K. (2014). The Use of Repeated Exposure and Associative Conditioning to Increase Vegetable Accep. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics,114(8), 1169-73. Retrieved from PubMed.gov.
Wansink, B., Just, D., Payne, C., & Klinger, M. (2012). Attractive names sustain increased vegetable intake in schools. Preventive Medicine, 55(4), 330-332.
Photo Credits: KatarzynaBialasiewicz/iStock/Thinkstock
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