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Aug 28, 2019 By Joe Carei for The 5 min read

As we get ready to send our kids to school, one of the questions that must be asked is about lunch — buy at school or pack?

School lunches are priced pretty well, but are they what you want your kids to eat? Are they healthy enough, are they getting enough energy? The brain uses 20% of our bodies energy and they are using them a lot…we hope. School lunches have come a long way since I was in school and ketchup was considered a vegetable. But, they are not there yet. A consciously packed school lunch will be a much better option.

The toughest part is getting into the habit of making a school lunch. It takes time, and you may be trying to help them with their homework. One way is to only pack every other day, or when there are school lunches that they are not excited about. Pack yourself a lunch, too, so it is a two for one deal. Even if you are a stay-at-home parent, nothing beats having lunch ready for you. If you usually pack lunch for work, it is a no-brainer, pack your kids’ lunches, too. If you are usually buying lunch at work, you could save money and have something in common with your child(ren).

Take time to plan menus on Sundays with your kids. It will be fun for all of you, and you can see what direction they are going. Even include them in meal prep. You can prep for 2-3 days of lunches at a time. So really, you could only make lunches twice for 5 days. ThatÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ two fifths the work.

Locally-sourced products for your kidÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ lunch are a great. It is proven that sustainable agricultural products have a denser nutrition make up and are healthier. Mix up the menu and follow the seasons. Now, fruits and vegetables are mainly available year round in the supermarkets. Variety is the spice to life.

Slowly push the healthy envelope with your kids. For example; start with a store bought granola bar and move onto homemade bars or homemade granola. Send them with carrots and ranch, and then replace the ranch with hummus. Add more fruit and vegetables to the mix. This can also help you with dinner choices. Over time, you will know all of their favorite foods. Be ambitions and take to new levels. Make your own granola bars, fruit rollups and quesadillas.

Be aware of your childrenÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ nutritional needs. Make lunches healthier by adding low-fat dairy or calcium-rich foods. About 85-90 percent of adult bone mass is acquired by age 18 in girls and 20 in boys. The best ways to get calcium are dairy products such as milk, yogurt, sliced cheese, cottage cheese, and string cheese as well as calcium fortified foods such as some juices and cereals. If your child is an athlete, not only do they need more food for energy, but they will also need more iron, Vitamin C and Bs, also.

Whole grain alternatives are always healthy options. Whole grain bread, crackers, chips, rice, oats will add whole grain goodness to lunches. Also read labels on whole grain items as the wording is tricky for many items, and it may not be fully whole grain.

There is nothing wrong with prepackaged foods like fruits in juice, individually wrapped cheeses, whole grain items and fruit snacks that are packaged right. Read the labels. Make sure they are real fruits and juices and dairy products. Labels do not lie and are a valuable resource. Remember, they are listed in order of quantity in recipe.

Another good thing about packing a lunch is it gives you another opportunity to show you care. Put in a little note or joke in the lunchbox to brighten their day. Create another connection with your child.

Homemade granola

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup other: nuts, seeds, grains, coconut etc.

1/3 cup honey or maple syrup

1/3 cup oil: canola or coconut

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup dried fruit

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Brush parchment lined sheet pan with some of the oil. Combine oats, cinnamon and nut mix. Warm honey and mix with oil and vanilla. Coat oat mix with honey oil, mixing well. Spread onto sheet pan and bake for about 30 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes. Remove from oven as it starts to get golden brown. Gently add dried fruit and press granola into pan. Let cool. Once cooled, cut or break up into chunks

Fruit Rollup

3 cups fruit of choice

3 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Puree fruit, sugar and lemon until smooth. Spread fruit on baking sheet lined with parchment to about 1/8 inch thick. Bake in oven for 5-6 hours at 170 degrees or in dehydrator (follow directions). Easiest way to know they are done is touch them and they are not sticky. Time in oven varies upon juiciness of fruit. Let cool, cut in strips and roll up.

Apple Chips

2 apples

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Slice apple into 1/8 inch chips.. Arrange on parchment lined baking sheet or silicon pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired and bake 1 hour. Carefully flip over apples (they may be stuck) and cook another 30 minutes or until crispy.

Chef Joe Carei has been an award-winning chef in Fayette County nearly half of his life. The former PA Restaurateur of the Year now operates Ellie MaeÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ Catering and Food Clubs. He can be reached at joe@elliemaescatering.com.