School days here! Try these 7 tips for a healthy school year. Think less processed foods and more fresh foods. Our kids are eating way too many processed foods that are loaded with sugar and chemicals. Here are some simple tips to get you started off to a healthy school year! Fresh Fruits and Vegetables. We need more of these good guys! If your kids are resistant to fresh produce, my recommendation is to have them participate in the buying process. Make your weekly farmers market trip a family outing and explain to kids what it means for something to be in season. Show them how sweet and flavorful foods can taste when they're at their peak and let them pick their favorites. Eating a carrot is much more satisfying when you've picked it out yourself. My favorite famers market is located at Town Square in the Whole Foods parking lot every Friday. Look for farmers markets in your area. Here are some ideas for produce that can be cut, bagged and packed for lunch time: carrots, celery, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, sweet red pepper, sugar snap peas, mixed greens (great to put a handful on sandwiches) apples, cherries, peaches, apricots, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, orange slices and melon. Fresh salsa is also a great way to get in more vegetables and antioxidants. Try adding salsa to the morning scramble. My kids love it when I pack salsa in a small container with organic gluten free chips. Homemade Granola. Store bought granola is usually more like dessert than a healthy snack, but you can make your own with less sugar and it is still delicious. Granola can be made in big batches, is easy to store, easy to transport and is based on intact grains that are both healthy and satisfying. Put a serving into a small zip bag. You can also find granola sources that have a lot less sugar than some brands. The key is to read labels and check out the amount of sugar per serving. (Some brands are Kind and Nature Valley found in the cereal section at most grocery stores) Cheese. Organic low fat white cheese such as mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan, and cottage cheese are excellent choices for protein. I like to pack the mozzarella cheese sticks for my kid's snacks and lunches. One of our favorite snacks is mozzarella cheese and red grapes. Stay away from the highly processed cheese. Processed cheese has quite a bit of sodium and is exactly what you read - processed. Hummus. Hummus is a Mediterranean dip made from chickpeas that is delicious and easy to make. Hummus provides healthy essential fats, protein, and fiber. It is a great way to get in your legumes. You can pack hummus in a small container with cut up vegetables (celery sticks, cucumbers, carrots, and peppers), whole grain gluten free crackers or organic flaxseed chips. Try using hummus as a sandwich spread mixed with Dijon mustard. Organic Peanut, Almond, Sunflower or Cashew Butter. Like hummus, nut butter can be a wonderful dip for fruits and veggies. They are packed with healthy essential fats, protein and antioxidants. Natural nut butters have no added sugar and no added trans-fat. My kid's enjoy taking a tsp. of raw honey and mixing it with their favorite nut butter for a tasty snack. Eat alone or dip with apple slices. Trail Mix. Choosing raw nuts are best. Trail mix is a fun and nutritious snack. Try different combinations of nuts and dried fruits. For a special treat you can add a few small chocolate chunks (dark organic chocolate is high in antioxidants), which is a better indulgence than cookies or chips. I have found small packets of raw trail mix at Trader Joe's for quick and easy option. Sandwiches. I'm not a big fan of most breads on the market. When choosing bread look for sprouted bread, or gluten free bread with few ingredients and no preservatives. I love switching out bread with Romaine leaves for a great lettuce wrap. Healthy sandwich choices include: hummus, avocado, organic peanut/almond butter, canned Alaskan salmon, albacore tuna, organic white cheese's (mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan cheese), roasted, grilled or baked chicken or turkey, lean cuts of beef, egg salad, and mixed veggies.. I like to cook extra cuts of meat for dinner and slice them up for lunch the next day. Try to avoid deli meats, most are highly processed and have nitrates, MSG and are high in sodium. (Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and Sprouts offer some lunch meat choices that have minimal processing and do not contain these chemicals) - By Tracey Philippi, BSN, RN, FLT, NASN
