Cleveland Clinic: How to pack a healthy school lunch

With the 2022-23 school year right around the corner, parents are likely getting ready to start packing lunches for their children again. But how can you make sure these meals are delicious and nutritious? Cleveland Clinic has some tips.

Cleveland Clinic Children's pediatric registered dietitian, Evelyn Benden says to ensure you're packing your child more than just a sandwich and some chips. This is important because what your child eats can affect their energy and ability to concentrate.

"You want to make sure you're getting all the different food groups in a lunch. So packing fruits, vegetables, protein, grains and dairy," Benden said.

That may sound like a lot, but Benden says these lunches don't have to be elaborate. Benden suggests choices like whole wheat crackers, deli meat, low-fat cheese, yogurt, chicken, hard-boiled eggs, hummus, beans, mixed nuts, carrots, apple slices or oranges.

Benden went on to say that if you're looking to get your child to try new foods, it may not be a good idea to try this for a school lunch.

"You don't want to put things in their lunch they really don't like because they're definitely not going to eat them. So maybe the foods that are harder, have home at dinner or on the weekends and pack things you know they're able to eat," Benden said.

If you don't pack your child a lunch and opt for a hot lunch at school, while schools do have to follow certain nutritional guidelines, Benden says it can't hurt to look at the menu and tell your child what foods to pick and what foods to avoid.