Take time for school lunches

Pre-packaged, processed foods are easy to pack for school lunches. But with childhood obesity reaching epidemic proportions, try to take a little time to make sure kids get the nutrients they need and not a lot of empty calories.

Instead of pre-packaged peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, try sliced turkey on whole wheat bread. Apples, bananas, grapes, low-fat yogurt, reduced fat cheese are also good choices.

Many snack foods on the grocery shelves – like those packages of bright orange crackers – contain hydrogenated fats, which can increase "bad" cholesterol. So if your child likes to take a little bag of snacks, pack pretzels or try our popcorn crunch recipe.

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Nutrition: For children & teens

First published: 09/19/2002
Last updated: 12/20/2006

Reviewed by: Paul Kleeberg, MD, medical director, Allina.com