Kid Friendly Lunches

1. Kid Friendly Lunches

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. Ideas and Tips • Pack the night before • Prepare ingredients in bulk for a few days • Don’t get stuck on sandwiches • Combine foods differently • Send drinks frozen to keep food cold • Try different shapes • Cut items into small, manageable pieces

9. 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

10. 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

11. Baked chips Air popped popcorn Pretzels in fun shapes Melon balls Applesauce Dried fruit Fruit cup 2-3 Hershey kisses Low fat pudding Plain cereal mixed with a few M&M’s or chocolate chips Animal crackers Sides and Endings Hide a note in your child’s lunchbox to remind them you love them!

12. QUESTIONS??