When I was a child the school cafeteria had two types of people: kids who bought lunch at school and kids brought bag lunches from home. I used to think that kids with bag lunches had healthier food, but according to researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, preschool children who bring bag lunches to school may be at a nutritional disadvantage.
Due to the increasing cost of food preparation and storage, more and more childcare centers are requiring parents to provide food for their children. Researchers discovered some interesting trends after studying 74 children ages 3-5 who attended full-time childcare centers that require parents to provide lunches.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, found more than 50 percent of bag lunches provided less than minimum amounts of calories, carbohydrates, vitamin A, calcium, iron and zinc. Also, 96 percent of lunches provided less than minimum recommended amounts of dietary fiber. When bag lunches exceeded recommendations it wasn't for the better. On average, the lunches contained 114 percent of the recommended amount of sodium.
When researchers asked parents if lunch provides an important opportunity for their children to receive nutrients, all 97 parents agreed, but 63 percent responded that they tend to pack only foods they know their child will eat ... even if those foods aren't healthy.
As a parent of a two-year-old girl who rarely eats the food her mother and I prepare, I know what it's like being a parent who just wants a child to eat. There are days when I feel like the only way to get my child to eat is if I give her food that isn't particularly healthy. That said, it's important to find healthy foods and snacks that your child is willing to eat. Maybe it's fat-free Snack Pack pudding or DAVID sunflower seeds. Maybe it's as simple as using reduced fat Peter Pan peanut butter on your kid's PB and Jelly sandwich. Whatever the case may be, it's important to keep nutrition in mind when packing those bag lunches for our children.
What ideas or solutions have you tried with your kids' meals? Share your comments and let others know what healthy choices you've made.
Jerry
My name is Jerry, and I'm a father, editor, and photographer. I've gained too much weight recently, and in 2006, my wonderful daughter was born... Read More |
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