Back-to-School Battle: Lunchby Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger 29 Aug 2009 11:52 PM With millions of students heading back to class next week parents are bracing for the obligatory back-to-school battles with their children over clothes, transportation... and lunch. Some kids simply refuse to eat school lunch, which leaves moms and dads scrambling to come up with homemade meals that are both healthy and tasty. For many parents that means buying packaged lunches, which may look nutritious, but are actually far from it. For example, did you know Lunchables' Maxed Out Cracker Stackers Combo Ham and Cheddar--a popular lunch choice among middle school students--contains 22 grams of fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol and 1,600 milligrams of sodium? According to health experts, the tiny pre-packaged meal contains more salt than a 12-year-old should consume in an entire day. What's more, studies found that Lunchables have little or no fiber and are high in fat, sugar, and cholesterol. Fortunately, there are plenty of nutritious foods that you can pack in your children's lunch boxes that they'll actually eat, such as: Chips and salsa Pita chips and hummus Yogurt Celery and carrot sticks and Ranch dressing Apple slices with peanut butter Sandwiches made from something other than traditional bread. Top crackers, rice cakes, pitas, bagels, English muffins or scones with your child's favorite sandwich fillings. Turn a hot dog bun into a miniature submarine sandwich. Slice deli meat into thin strips. Add cheese and shredded lettuce. Fruit and meat skewers: Place sandwich fillings on wood skewers. Thread alternating chunks of turkey, ham, cheese, cherry tomatoes, broccoli and fruit on a wooden skewer. Spirals: Remove the crusts from the bread and flatten the slice with a rolling pin. Spread peanut butter and jelly, cream cheese and jam, or ham (or any of your child's favorite fillings) and tightly roll up. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, slice into spirals and pack in containers. Related Articles: Do You Feel Obligated to Buy School Pictures? Does Your Child Ride the Bus to School? Back-to-School Supplies: It's All About the Bag Learn more about Michele Cheplic  Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. Relevantparenting tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Discuss this article
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