Filling the lunch box with food for thought

With childhood obesity rates rising, what you put in your child’s lunch box is more important than ever, say nutrition experts at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Lona Sandon, a registered dietitian at UT Southwestern, says to look for protein from lean lunch meats, low-fat cheese or peanut butter on whole-grain bread. Other good lunch box items include fresh fruits and vegetables, fruit cups, yogurt in a tube, single serving containers of cottage cheese and pudding cups made from skim milk.

“A healthy lunch not only keeps the body going but also the brain,” says Ms. Sandon. “Kids who eat regular healthy meals often do better in school.”

If your kids insist on chips and candy, use baked chips and offer fun-sized candy bars instead of full-sized bars.

Visit http://www.utsouthwestern.org/nutrition to learn more about clinical services in nutrition at UT Southwestern.

Media Contact: Kristen Holland Shear