The 2024-25 school year has finally started and that brings the question of what to pack in your lunch every morning! Here are some things to think about when packing your lunch and some ideas to pick and choose from for some inspiration.
A school lunch should not only contain some delicious food but also the right food to fuel your body for the rest of the school day and any extracurriculars after school. Ideally, your lunch will contain all five food groups; the five food groups are needed in a lunch because each food group provides different types of nutrients needed to fuel your body for the school day! Each section below focuses on the benefits of a specific food group and examples of food. Many of the examples are plain foods that are not in any recipes: feel free to add them into a recipe to still get their benefits!
Fruits
Fruits contain some valuable nutrients that are harder to find in other foods. Fruits can help with the day-to-day school life as well as provide long-term benefits. They contain potassium, fiber, and vitamin C. Potassium is a mineral that our bodies need for our nerves and muscles (especially the heart muscles) to function properly. Fiber is helpful for many reasons, but the main task is to assist in digestion. Vitamin C is one of the most beneficial elements in fruits; it strengthens your immune system (which is vital during school with so many germs being spread), it heals wounds, and it helps memory/ thinking. Fruits are considered a carbohydrate, which means they are a great option for quick and healthy energy! Fruits are low in fat, sodium, and calories; they also do not contain any cholesterol. Long-term benefits of fruits are the prevention of certain diseases, maintenance of healthy blood pressure, and lowered risk of heart disease.
Some examples of fruit:
Raspberries
Watermelon
Apples
Avocados
Oranges
Bananas
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Veggies
Vegetables are extremely good for your body. Just like fruits, they also help fight off and prevent diseases. Most vegetables are low in fat and calories, but there can be added fats/ calories in different foods, so be careful! Some nutrients that vegetables contain are potassium, fiber, vitamin A, and vitamin C. Potassium, fiber, and vitamin C have the same benefits as they do in fruits and also aid with nerve/ muscle functions, digestion, immune system strength, healing wounds, and memory. Vitamin A helps your vision, immune system, and your organs.
Some examples of vegetables:
Carrots
Peppers
Broccoli
Spinach
Corn
Potatoes
Beans
Grains
Any food that contains any type of grain is classified in the grains group. Some examples of grains are rice, cornmeal, oats, and wheat. There are two types of grains: whole grains and refined grains. Whole grains have the entire grain kernel which contains bran, germ, and endosperms. These elements provide key nutrients because they contain various fibers, vitamins (mainly vitamin B), healthy fats, iron, antioxidants, and carbohydrates. Refined grains do not have the bran or germ of the grain which removes high amounts of the grain's fiber, iron, and vitamin B. Refined grains can be enriched and get some vitamin B added back to the grain. Grains carry iron which is needed for oxygen transportation in red blood cells. Iron increases learning ability, helps energy production, is necessary for hormones, and aids in keeping a healthy immune system. The B vitamins in grains help with energy production, brain function, formation of red blood cells, and vision. Grains also have minerals that help regulate blood sugar, release energy into muscles, build bones, and more.
Some examples of grains:
Bread
Rice
Cereal
Pasta
Popcorn
Muffins
Proteins
Proteins can help your body in almost any way you can think of! Some of the proteins various benefits are building and repairing tissues, creating chemical balances in your body, helping your immune system, helping control hormones, and helping the growth of cells in your body. Most foods are considered to fit into the protein group if they come from meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, beans, peas, nuts, seeds, or processed soy products. Without protein in your diet, your body would not be able to function as well or as fast. Each protein can contain many different vitamins or minerals, but the key is consuming the amino acids in proteins.
Some examples of protein:
Meat
Fish
Tofu
Peanut Butter
Eggs
Dairy
A food is considered a dairy if it comes from the milk of a mammal. Dairy helps your body build strong bones and maintain overall health. Most types of dairy contain calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and proteins. Calcium helps your bone and teeth structure, helps your blood clot, helps your nerves, and helps your blood vessels. Potassium helps the function of heart and nerve function, metabolism, and cell and kidney functions. Vitamin D helps your skin, heart, bone, and immune health; it also helps regulate your body's energy levels. Overall, dairy helps your health of vital organs such as your brain and heart, and it helps your energy levels!
Some examples of dairy:
Milk
Cheese
Yogurt
Butter
Lunch and Snack Ideas
Here are some simple combos to add to your lunches and snacks! Feel free to mix them up with some examples from each food group too!
Pasta salad (grains, vegetables, proteins)
Yogurt parfait with fruit and granola (dairy, fruit, grains)
Cheese, crackers, and pepperoni sandwiches (dairy, grains meat)
Cut up vegetables with a dip (vegetables)
Sandwiches, bread, lunch meat, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes (all five food groups!)
Apples and peanut butter (fruit and protein)
MyPlate
My Plate is a great resource for balancing your lunches and snacks. MyPlate is a tool run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The information listed above has been from this resource. Visit https://www.myplate.gov/ for more information!
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