by Joan Inong

Created on: March 24, 2008

Every parent knows that children are picky eaters. It seems that all children are inherently born this way! And, all parents want their children to eat healthily, but it is always difficult to make children have healthy eating habits. Add to this fact that many school cafeterias around the nation serve up food with little or no nutritional value. What is a parent to do? Well, parents, you're in luck! There are plenty of healthful and creative ways to make your kids' lunches more interesting and more healthy.

When you think of a child's packed lunch, you might immediately think of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. But, sometimes this PB & J routine just doesn't cut it. To shake things up, try adding some sliced bananas to the sandwich. Or, if you want to make a totally different sandwich, try this: for omnivores, make a sandwich on whole grain bread or rye, with two slices of turkey breast, one big slice of tomato (optional), two layers of lettuce, and Monterey Jack cheese. Don't add ketchup or mayonnaise. Instead, try a thin layer of honey Dijon mustard. For the vegetarians, just replace the turkey breast with a slice or two of grilled eggplant. Make sure that the eggplant is really soft by not undercooking it.

If sandwiches aren't filling for your children, try making some wild or brown rice. Add some chicken pieces (which you can sautee in your child's favorite sauce) or tofu (for vegetarians). Add green beans, carrots, peas, etc.

For snacks, you don't have to pack any junk food. However, you can choose to pack a small piece of chocolate. Let your child try a very dark chocolate because that is the healthiest kind. If your child doesn't like it, then try a lighter variety. A few mini-kisses might be the best option for you. You can also pack one kind of fruit per day. Try apples with caramel sauce or in a little container for dipping. Try bananas slightly covered with chocolate sauce (instead of including the mini-kisses). Cut your fruit into fun and interesting shapes so that your child will be interested in them. Including some kind of dipping sauce with your child's fruits will make less familiar foods more familiar: if they see some caramel or chocolate, they'll be excited to try it with something like apples or bananas. For vegetables, try celery stalks with peanut butter. If your child doesn't like celery stalks, try including broccoli with a small container of ranch dipping sauce. Many children will be willing to try the tree-looking vegetable if they see something familiar to go with it (the dipping sauce).

If you know what kind of foods your child likes, then try to incorporate those foods into new things that he/she might not like. However, whether you want your child to eat healthier or you just want your child to have a good lunch, make sure that whatever you make is tasty and delicious!

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