Kid Friendly Lunches

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Kid Friendly Lunches
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Objectives

• Review nutritional needs of children
• Discuss recommended portion sizes
• Getting Started
• Ideas and Tips
• Examples
• Food Safety

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Nutritional Needs

• Toddler (Age 2-3)
• 2-3 servings dairy
• 4-6 servings grains
• 2 servings fruit
• 2 servings vegetables
• 2 servings protein (1.2 g/kg or 3.5 oz)
• Estimated needs are 102 kcals/kg or 46
  kcals/pound or 40 kcals/inch of height

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Nutritional Needs

• Young Child (Age 4-6)
• 3 servings dairy
• 6 servings grains
• 2 servings fruit
• 3 servings vegetables
• 2 servings protein (1.1 g/kg or 5 oz)
• Estimated needs are 90 kcals/kg or 41 kcals/pound

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Nutritional Needs

• Young Child (Age 7-10)
• 2-3 servings dairy
• 6 servings grains
• 2 servings fruit
• 3 servings vegetables
• 2 servings protein (1.0 g/kg or 5 oz)
• Estimated needs are 70 kcals/kg or 32 kcals/pound

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Portion Sizes

• 1 servings equals
• Dairy 1 cup milk, 2 oz cheese, 1 cup yogurt
• Grains 1 slice bread, ½ cup rice, cereal pasta
  (make ½ whole grains)
• Fruits ½ cup, ¾ cup juice
• Vegetable ½ cup cooked, 1 cup raw
• Protein 2-3 oz cooked lean meat, poultry, fish,
  2 eggs, 4T peanut butter

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Getting Started

• Know what your child will eat
• Make a list of the best choices you are willing
  to offer
• Let kids pick from this list
• Encourage them to contribute to the original
  list, but you, as parent, get the final word
• Plan a weekly menu to avoid morning panic

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Ideas and Tips

• Pack the night before
• Prepare ingredients in bulk for a few days
• Dont get stuck on sandwiches
• Combine foods differently
• Send drinks frozen to keep food cold
• Try different shapes
• Cut items into small, manageable pieces

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Examples - Sandwiches

• Use high fiber breads usually provides less
  carbohydrates and calories and helps keep them
  full
• Consider tortilla wrap vs. bread and then cut in
  thirds
• Cut regular sandwiches in quarters or in
  triangles or any other shape
• Use crackers instead of bread
• Vary the bread offerings from raisin bread to
  pita pockets to dinner rolls or even mini bagels

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Examples Alternatives

• Cheese sticks, cherry tomatoes, cubes grilled
  chicken and nuts
• Peanut butter on celery sticks
• Unsweetened yogurt with fruit, nuts or other
  crunchies
• Homemade yogurt smoothies
• String cheese, granola bar and slices of apple
• Pasta salad
• Cold pizza
• Soups, stews, casseroles left over from the night
  before
• String cheese and a banana muffin
• Hard boiled egg with crackers

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Sides and Endings

• Fruit cup
• 2-3 Hershey kisses
• Low fat pudding
• Plain cereal mixed with a few MMs or chocolate
  chips
• Animal crackers

• Baked chips
• Air popped popcorn
• Pretzels in fun shapes
• Melon balls
• Applesauce
• Dried fruit

Hide a note in your childs lunchbox to remind
them you love them!
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QUESTIONS??