A Well-Rounded Lunch Box Includes:

• Whole Grains (Examples: High fiber wrap, pita, or sliced bread with at least 3 g fiber per serving, (I like LaTortilla wraps, Brownberry protein and health-full bread, and Ezekiel brand wraps and bread. Other ideas include whole grain cereal in a ziplock, high fiber pasta, or a Dashing Dish muffin!)
• Lean Protein (Examples: Low sugar Greek yogurt, lean deli meat, cheese sticks, thinly sliced cheese slices, hard boiled egg, or chicken or tuna salad.)
• Veggie/Fruit (Examples: apple slices, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, bananas, sliced red peppers, cucumbers, baby carrots, etc.)
• Healthy Fat (Examples: Small portion of nuts, hummus, or even olive oil based mayo or avocado on their sandwich. You don't have to focus too much on incorporating a healthy fat, as many foods have at least some fat in them, like cheese or the yolk of a hardboiled egg for example! )

Other Tips for Preparing a Lunch Box:

• It's great to get kids involved in making their lunches! It gives them a sense of independence as well as sparking an interest in learning healthy habits at a young age! These habits will most likely carry them through life, so any time you can get kids in the kitchen to cook with you is truly a wise investment!
• I have found in my own life that it is best to prepare lunches on the weekend, (I sometimes will prepare as many as a week’s worth of lunches on Sunday night!) or the night before. This prevents any feelings of being overwhelmed in the morning!
• Leftovers often make great lunches as well and prevent any unnecessary wasting of food!

Need Inspiration? Check out the 'Kid Friendly Recipes' section of Dashing Dish!