Healthy Lunch Swaps

​Packing your child quality healthy lunches is so important. It will positively influence everything from how well they grasp lessons in school to how infrequently they get sick. With that being said, the quick pre-packaged temptations are everywhere; some are even marketed as healthy, but often are not. Here are some healthy switch-ups for you to consider.

Granola Bars:
I have yet to find a granola bar on a store shelf that is healthy and not full of sugar, or hidden sugars. There is no way a child can pay full attention in class with a blood sugar spike followed by a crash. Meanwhile, their healthy gut flora, needed for a strong immune system, is also taking a hit.
Healthy replacement ideas:
Purchase quality whole grain snacks, like “Mary’s Gone” crackers or “Mary’s Gone” sea salt pretzels. Other grain-based snacks include brown rice or wild rice cakes. Read ingredient labels, skip anything with sugar listed and remember these are processed grains and should be consumed in moderation. Top crackers with hummus, guacamole, and, depending on school policy, seed butters for extra nutrients. Make homemade muffins (in my original submission of this article I specifically referred to the following recipe "Vegan Baked Oatmeal Cups" with full credit to the author, as most muffins even so called healthy homemade muffins are way too high in sugars and are basically cupcakes in disguise, the editor felt their may be a copyright issue and we decided to remove it) instead of popping a granola bar into a lunch.

Yogurt:
Most of the yogurt on the store shelves is full of sugars, even the plain yoghurt (don’t confuse vanilla with plain) is so processed that there are barely any probiotics present.
Healthy replacement ideas:
For the busy family, avocado or pumpkin seeds both contain healthy fats for health and growth, and both have amino acids scores over 100. An amino acid score of 100 or higher is considered a high-quality protein source. They also contain important trace minerals needed for health and growth, including calcium. For the family with more prep time, try making some homemade probiotic hummus which also has an amino acid score over 100, contains those important healthy fats, important trace minerals and, thanks to the tahini, it’s an excellent source of calcium. Make probiotic hummus by adding one to two tablespoons of miso paste to a homemade hummus.

Fruit Cups, Fruit snacks, Fruit to Go:
Fruit Juice Fruit concentrate, real fruit juice, pure fruit juice all amount to excess sugar a child does not require. It does not function the same way in the body as eating actual fruit. The fibre in fruit regulates the sugar found in fruit and most of the antioxidants are bound to the fibre. Once you remove the fibre you are left with sugar; when the body is overwhelmed with sugar it does not metabolize all the vitamins effectively. But what about the fruit cups, it has real fruit, right? Yes, but it’s quite often mixed with sugar-laden syrups of questionable origin.
Healthy replacement ideas:
Stick to actual fruit and switch it up often, allowing the kids to choose the types of fruits they would like to try in their lunch. For the family with more prep time, try making your own fruit salads. Just chop up three or more different fruits and add to a container. Use a little juice from freshly squeezed citrus fruits to keep the fruit from oxidizing. You can even add some spices to make lovely flavours like cinnamon or ginger. Avoid the trend to add in other sugar sources such as honey or maple syrup; the sugar in the fruit is all that is needed.

Let’s make healthy whole food simple lunches the new trend! It really is easy and can be achieved by the family on the limited budget or the family with the busy agenda
Dana Clark, CNHP, CHN, CHC owner or From the Roots Holistic
​Published in the Alive + Fit Magazine, Fall 2017 page 28

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