Back to School Lunch-PART 2

Hello my lunch-packing friends,

It's time for Part 2 of Our Back to School Lunch Series.

Can you think outside the sandwich for a moment? If so, read on; we'll get to sandwiches at the end.

Think of lunch in 3 parts: you've got the entree--something that has protein and carbs of some sort, then you've got the fruits and/or veggies. For a visual, think about this--the fruit and veggies should take up half the "plate."

You can also mix it up--putting the protein, veggies, fruit and carbs all together. Visualize this: spinach salad with chicken & mango salad wrapped up in a whole grain tortilla.

Below is a 10 day menu for your favorite brown-bagger--and it doesn't have to be a kid!

Meatless Monday: Bean burrito with grated cheese, avocado and cilantro. Try black beans for a change. On the side--a container of salsa and fat-free sour cream or plain greek yogurt and some baked blue tortilla chips. (yep-salsa counts as a veggie!) For dessert: mango slices or peach fruit cup.

Tuesday: Chili con carne in a thermos. On the side: grated light cheddar, baby carrots. For dessert: tapioca pudding cup.

Wednesday: S'more Lunch: Graham cracker, peanut butter (sunflower butter for allergy-free zones) and banana sandwiches with mini chocolate chips. On the side: Yogurt tube

Thursday: Deli wrap: Put your fav deli meat with a slice of low fat American cheese or grated mozzarella into a wrap with favorite condiments. Slip in some thinly sliced red or yellow peppers and a few sliced olives. On the side: apple slices

Fishy Friday: Mix canned salmon (remove the skin) with light cream cheese, dill and garlic powder in the blender or food processor. Spread on: bread, crackers, celery, etc. On the side: cucumber slices with lime, fresh pear.

Meatless Monday: Dippin Lunch: Hummus with whole grain pita triangles, celery, cucumber and carrot sticks for dipping. Dessert; frozen melon balls.

Tuesday: Lettuce wraps with roast beef: Using leftover or deli roast beef wrap lettuce around it and cucumber strips.

Wednesday: Chicken & rice salad: Using leftover chicken, and rice (you can also use leftover barley, quinoa or bulgar), add dried cranberries or raisins and chopped red pepper and julienne carrots. Add a little vinaigrette.

SANDWICH TIME:

Above are lots of sandwich-free ideas. What if you or kid still loves a good sandwich? No problem...just don't forget to add the fruits and veggies to go with!

The trick with sandwiches, is how to make them different day after day:

1. Make them into finger sandwiches, which are especially great for kids of all ages who don't like the crust.

2. Cut them into cute shapes using a cookie cutter.

3. Use different colored bread: brown & white for example

4. Use different kinds of bread: French bread, whole grain bread, raisin bread. There's a bread that works well with every filling.

5. Add unexpected ingredients. I've seen corn added to sandwiches before! If you can get a whole of fresh herbs, a little fresh parsley or basil adds a nice touch to sandwiches.


Above all, follow the golden rule for a lunch that your kid won't toss or trade: Get him involved in the process. At the store, or when making the grocery list. Ask him what he wants for lunch. Let him help put the lunch together. And don't things in his lunch that he won't eat at home--there is probably a smaller chance he will eat it at school (unless of course all of his friends are eating it!)

Bon Appetit!

Starting Solids? Not So Fast!

One of the most anticipated milestones in the first 6 months of age is that first bite of solid food. I can still picture the faces of my kids with sweet potato or green peas smeared all over them!

Working with parents, I find that starting solids is still something parents and grandparents REALLY look forward to. It's also something to be touted in those conversations of "my baby's doing this--what's your baby doing?"

Well as exciting as that first bite might be, research shows that it's one Kodak moment that may be best put off--at least for a month or two. The research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, looked at the BMI of 42 year olds and compared it to the age at which they started eating solids. The study showed that the later the introduction of solid foods,(up to 6 months) the lower the risk of overweight at age 42.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months--meaning breastfed infants don't need solids until about that time. That said, there are a small number of infants who are ready for solids before 6 months. In my experience, that usually includes babies who are born large and are developmentally ready for solids before then. On the other hand, when babies go through a growth spurt, it is easy to confuse this short period of increased demand in breastfeeding to a need for solids.

The bottom line: use your baby's developmental cues, not his age, to determine if he is ready for solids. If he has good control of his head and neck, is sitting with support and seems genuinely interested in what you are eating, it may be time to consider solid foods. Remember that rushing this milestone may not be good for your child's waistline in the future!

New York City Ban on School Bake Sales--Moms Say "No Fair"

Today moms held a "bake-in" recently in New York City to protest the ban on the selling of home baked goods at school. In an effort to curb rising childhood obesity rates, NYC banned the sale of home made desserts. Moms say this is an important way for PTA's to raise funds to help with school arts programs and other needed projects that schools can't pay for. On the other hand, packaged snacks that meet certain nutrition criteria (such as no more than 35% fat) can be sold.

Is the NYC restriction on bake sales pushing kids in the wrong direction--towards packaged snacks instead of home made food? In my opinion--YES! I sit firmly on the mom's side in this debate. However, I do understand what the officals are thinking--they can control food intake if they know what's in the food--which you can do more easily with a packaged food that has a label.

In fact, I crafted a "Healthy Snack Guidelines" for the El Paso ISD, as the chair of the School Health Advisory Council. In Texas, the school day is already well regulated--no sodas in elementary or middle schools and part of our health policy allowed kids to buy water any time of the day. What I had a problem with was what was sold after school--it was a junk food free-for-all! Kids could buy candy, soda, chips--any of the food not allowed during school--once the bell rang and school was out. I saw this as a mixed message to students--the PTA is raising money to do plenty of good things--but they are doing it at the peril of student health. The guidelines are to help PTA's find healthier snacks--to steer clear of sodas, candy etc---but it doesn't regulate bake sales, which don't happen that often anyway.

The sad thing about the NYC ban is this: Cooking is a lost art and many kids never get the pleasure of smelling a cake baking or the joy of eating a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie right out of the oven. Bake sales give kids an opportunity to taste "real food." The point of school is to educate children--bake sales teach kids what wonderful things you can do with a few ingredients and a little motivation. Sure, they have sugar and fat but let's face it--don't we all like to indulge occasionally. Besides teaching our kids to read the label on packaged snacks, it's also vital that we teach them to enjoy high quality food--but to eat it in moderation!

Three Healthy Habits that Say No to Childhood Obesity

In health, as in life, sometimes the formula for success is simple. In this case, it's about some family routines that are fairly easy for most families:

• Eat together as a family
• Sleep enough
• Have minimal of screen time

These three habits may be important in preventing childhood obesity. In the March 1 issue of Pediatrics, a study which looked at over 8000 children found that the 4 year old children who were regularly exposed to 2 or 3 of the routines were about 40% less likely to be overweight than those children who had none of the routines.

Did the routines have to be practiced to perfection? No. With regularity? Yes. They looked at eating together as a family 5 nights a week, the preschooler sleeping 10.5 hours and having less than 2 hours of combined screen time. These are practical targets for most families and simple enough.

The Childhood Obesity Dilemma--How Something So Simple Got So Complicated
Richard Besser MD Good Morning America

What Dr Besser described is exactly what my conversations with the parents of overweight kids are like as a registered dietitian at a public health clinic. I think parents don't understand how powerful their actions are in establishing healthy habits for their kids. Kids learn from a very early age from what they observe. And if they observe mom and dad with a regular diet of chips, sodas, etc. this becomes the "norm." Parents need to take back the gatekeeper role in the house. Don't want your kid to drink soda-- don't buy it! Want to drink it yourself--do it after they're asleep.

At the same time, I think it's important to teach kids that all foods can fit in moderation. At a birthday party, we might splurge on cake, soda and some pizza, but we don't do it every day. While tempting, establishing a "no sugar in the house" rule often backfires. The kid who is not allowed an occasional sweet with gulp down soda by the glassfulll when at his friend's house. (I've seen that one firsthand!) They won't learn moderation--which after all is the key to a balanced life.

My advice to parents--let your kids catch you "being good"--setting a good example for healthy living. Eat an apple for a snack. Push away from the table and say you're full. Play ball outside or take your kid to the park. Time spent outside is directly related to calories burned, so reserve some outside play time for the family