Pediatrician gives ways to make fun and healthy school lunches

Trying to send your kid out the door with something healthy for their school lunch can be difficult.

“First of all I think the most important thing is that the kids actually eat lunches,” said Dr. Aaron Gomez, pediatrician with Banner Health.

“Make it fun for the kids, ‘we’re going to plan out what you want to eat every day’ or ‘what you want to eat for the week,’” he said.

That way kids can pick what they want, from options parents are offering that are also healthy.

“We try to stay away from things that are pre-processed, they have a lot of salt in it, you know we don’t need that much salt in our diet,” he said.

Some other no-no’s are simple sugars like candies, and simple carbs like chips.

“We recommend, number one, a good protein in your lunch,” he said. “Complex carbohydrates, so whole grain breads.”

Kids also need fruits and vegetables, at least five per day, he said.

“Let’s have them drink water, and let’s have them drink milk,” Gomez said.

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