The Real School Lunch Problem

Over the past decade, cafeteria food has become school reformists’, nutritionists’, and foodies’ favorite punching bag. Advocacy groups and even some reality television shows have been established for the sole purpose of decrying the state of the food served on today’s school lunch trays. And with the criticism has come a new cottage industry: packed lunches that border on works of art, complete with sculpted sandwiches, carved fruit animals, and elaborate packaging.

But here’s a zinger: Your kid may be better off buying lunch than brown-bagging it (or perhaps even bento-boxing it). Last week, in a study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, Virginia Tech researchers compared 560 packed lunches with 750 school-served lunches. They found that homemade lunches had more fat and sugar, and less protein, fiber, fruits, and veggies than school-made ones.

By no means should this research let school kitchens off the hook: They’re the front lines of nutrition for countless kids across America, and plenty of solid research has shown that the lunches many serve are too short on fresh, healthy produce and too high in processed animal fats. Movements like the School Lunch Project and legislation like the USDA’s Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act are incredibly important for holding schools to the highest possible standards when it comes to both nutrition and kid-appeal (because it doesn’t matter if a meal is chock-full of vitamins if your child doesn’t want to touch it).

But it does give us food for thought. How can we boost nutrition in our packed lunches without effectively starving picky children? I’ve collected some simple expert tips and mom-tested ideas, and am listing the ones that seem to come up again and again. Don’t worry: None of them involve making jicama roses or string-cheese-and-raisin panda bears. That’s not how I roll, even in my most ambitious mom moments, and I’m assuming that if you read this blog, you likely don’t either.

1. When packing veggies, think of rainbows. A stack of celery sticks is pretty blah. But an array of carrot, celery, and red pepper slices, perhaps mixed with some fave fruits, is colorful and appealing.

2. If your child doesn’t like plain fruit or veggies, think of sending a small container with a dip. Nut butters go well with celery, apples, and carrots; vanilla yogurt pairs great with strawberries, pineapple, or melon spears. We love these handy little containers (right). (They’re also great for carrying a portion of raisins, nuts, or berries).

3. In the Virginia Tech study, home-packed lunches had more crackers and chips. If you pack crunchy snacks, choose wisely: Whole grain crackers or plain popcorn with a sprinkle of sea salt are good, high-fiber choices.

4. Yogurt and string cheese are excellent protein sources, but if they’re served warm, they’re probably going to end up in the trash. (Plus, a 2011 study led by University of Texas researchers found that perishables in 90 percent of preschoolers lunches were  at unsafe temperatures at mid-morning.) If you pack dairy products, add a mini cold pack that won’t weigh your kids lunchbox down, like this.

5. Use bread that has whole wheat flour as the first ingredient. Go ahead and cut off the crusts if that makes it more appealing to your child; the choice of whole-wheat bread is more important.

6. Think outside the sandwich. If your child doesn’t like bread, try whole-wheat tortillas packed with favorite fillings or whole-wheat crackers with hummus or a cream-cheese spread.

7. Don’t get stuck in “lunch” mode. Chicken nuggets don’t have to be piping hot to be palatable to most kids. Yogurt and a low-sugar trail mix can be healthier than a lot of traditional sandwich-and-chip options.

8. Instead of juice or sweetened milk boxes, pack water, seltzer, or plain milk in a snazzy (and environmentally friendlier) cup or thermos. For keeping milk cold and reducing chance of spills, my kids, who range from 2 to 8, all love Thermos’s FUNtainers, which feature characters from Frozen to fire trucks.

9. If your child expects a sweet, see if you can find the time to make and freeze a double batch of mini muffins. You can take them out of the freezer in the morning and they’ll defrost by lunchtime. Try these carrot-apple or sweet-potato muffin recipes; just reduce cooking time by half.

10. Need more inspiration? Check out HHK nutrition adviser Dana White’s D.I.Y. Lunch Kits here.