Health Up Their Lunchbox!

It’s a struggle to get kids to eat well at home, let alone when they’re out of the house and in the school cafeteria. Ice cream calls. French fries beckon. And that carton of chocolate milk looks like a health drink, compared to that can of Coke.

Sure, celery is a nutritious snack and water a wonderful way to cleanse the body, but not if they end up in the trash. Help your kids resist temptation by tempting them yourself! Stuff your child’s lunch box with some secret weapons—fun snacks that will stave off the math class munchies, drinks that won’t shoot them into sugar stupor, and recipes that leave the old fashioned PB & J in the dust, but still pass the picky palate test.

Snacks

Lara Bar: Gingersnap or Lemon (skip the apple!)

Nothing annoys me more than grocery store whining. And like most moms, I get my fair share of it on a weekly basis. Hats off to the Lara bar, a snack to which I can say “yes” without an ounce of guilt. Unlike its sugar coma-inducing neighbors in the energy bar aisle, this guy has ingredients I can actually pronounce. Things like dates, almonds, pecans, ginger, and cinnamon. All the sugars and carbs in the bar are from the fruit it’s made with and nothing more. Snack manufacturers say it’s impossible to make something good without refined sugar and hydrogenated oils. Shame on them.

Fruitabu Organic Smooshed Fruit Twirl

This is like the fruit rollup of my childhood, but it’s made from actual fruit. Imagine that! The strawberry flavor tastes like a summer day. And the form factor has fun written all over it—it’s like a big roll of strawberry tape.

Lesser Evil Krinkle Sticks

Kids like chips. You can moan all you want, but get used to it. Why not prevent the inevitable carrot stick—potato chip trade by sticking in some chips of your own? Unlike the 10 grams of fat in the old-fashioned oily favorite, these sticks have just 2.5 grams per serving and 110 calories. They’re baked, not fried, have no trans-fats, and no preservatives. But more importantly (to kids anyway), they come in a cool crinkled shape—kind of like crispy French fries.

Lundberg Rice Chips, Nacho Cheese

This is a darn tasty tortilla chip. It just happens to be halfway good for you, too. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not spa food. But for times when only a chip will do, this is a good choice at 140 calories per serving, 7 grams of fat, less than a gram of sugar, and a bit of protein. Wheat free and gluten free, it still manages to taste sinfully yummy.

Divinely D’lish Funky Figs and Cherry Bar

As adults, we guilt-trip ourselves over every calorie. But young kids can benefit from a certain amount of fat, especially if it’s from a nutritious source like nuts. This bar is full of whole grains. Still, it’s lip-smacking good. And while kids will get a taste of honey and maple syrup, they’ll also get a good dose of oats, figs, cherries, and that elusive Omega-3 powerhouse…flaxseed.

Drinks

Juice has fallen in stature since I was a little kid. It’s no longer considered by doctors to be a health drink. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics came out with a report urging parents to get off the juice wagon, because it contributes to obesity, causes cavities, and, despite the ads, doesn’t take the place of whole fruit. A 12-ounce glass of orange juice contains 180 calories, which translates into the same number of calories as 3 chocolate chip cookies. And soda? Forget about it! Drinking just one 12-ounce can of soda every day for a year is equal to 55,000 calories… a gain of 15 pounds per year! If you’re ready to give your kids an alternative, here are a few slurps to consider: