Your Guide to a Balanced Brown-Bag Lunch
Packing a lunch for yourself or your kids can prove a challenge at times, especially on hectic Monday mornings. Trying to find healthy ingredients that your kids will enjoy is probably the hardest part. When I used to pack my lunch in high school, I was extremely health-conscious. I measured out the peanut butter and jelly when I made a PB&J and counted the number of chips I put into a ziplock bag. I also made sure I had a full serving of fruits and vegetables with lunch every day. While you don’t need to be as extreme as I was, I hope you can use this article as your guide to a balanced brown-bag lunch.
Monday to Friday Balanced Brown-Bag Lunch Guide
Sandwiches
- Monday: Nut butter and jelly sandwich – use peanut, almond, cashew, or even sun butter!
- Tuesday: Deli Sandwich with cheese – turkey, chicken, or ham – add tomato, lettuce, and avocado for more nutrients and flavor
- Wednesday: Hummus and boiled egg pita – smear some hummus on the inside of a pita and slice up a boiled egg. This is not only tasty but is a good source of protein and fiber as well!
- Thursday: Nut butter and banana sandwich
- Friday: Chicken salad sandwich
* You can use wraps or even lettuce as a substitute for bread
Chips
Creating a balanced brown-bag lunch is all about choosing healthier options. Use baked chips such as baked lays and sun chips as a lower-fat substitute for regular lays chips. According to the Food Network, one ounce (15 chips) of baked potato chips has 14% fewer calories and 50% less fat than regular potato chips.
Fruits and veggies – the key to a balanced lunch
Fruits and vegetables are key to packing a balanced brown-bag lunch. With every lunch, try to include a few servings of both fruit and veggies. The great part is, is that there are so many options to choose from you can mix it up every day.
This infographic from Very Well Family outlines the recommended fruit and veggie servings for your kids:
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