Let the frenzy begin!
It’s that time of year again, where the smell of stationery on sale is
in the air. It’s also that time of year
where the headache of deciding what to pack for lunch is on a lot of students’
and parents’ minds.
Here is a checklist of some things to include in brown-bag
lunches (or meals to-go):
· Are there 3-4 out of the 4 food groups at this
meal?
o
The four foods groups are:
§
Vegetables/Fruits
§
Grain Products/Starches
§
Milk and Alternatives
·
Is the distribution of the food groups as
follows?
o
½ of meal from vegetables (solid or leafy, not
juice form)
o
¼ of meal from grain products/starches (whole
grains more often than not)
o
¼ of meal from meats or alternatives
·
Is there a low-calorie, nutritious beverage?
o
The BEST options are:
§
Water
§
Skim or 1% milk
o
These are NOT great options:
§
Flavoured milk
·
Added sugar in these contribute to extra
calories consumed
§
100% pure fruit juice (maximum 125mL per day)
·
There is little to no fibre in these, so it’s
better to eat the fruit instead.
o
For children, diet beverages with artificial
sweeteners are not the best choice as they are still growing, and would benefit
from nutritious drinks.
o
Sports drinks are also not
the best choice because of the excess sugar content. These drinks are more appropriate for
athletes or the very physically active.
·
If there is a dessert, is it a fruit or yogurt?
o
Desserts or “snack” food treats should be kept
to a minimum for the sake of weight management and for healthy teeth.
o
Limit “snack” food treats to 0-2 times per week.
For more ideas or information on meal planning or recipe
ideas, visit:
Sally Ho is a Registered Dietitian at the Leduc Beaumont Devon Primary Care Network.
