It is that time of year again. As we say goodbye to the lazy days of summer and look ahead to a busy school schedule, the subject of school lunches often starts to rear its ugly head. This is one area that can bring a lot of stress to my clients who are parents. Do you let them buy or pack? If we pack how can we provide nutritious foods that they will actual eat? Am I a bad mom/dad for giving my kid an Uncrustable and fruit snack? In case you are wondering, the answer to the last question is no.

When it comes to school provided meals, there is definitely room for improvement when it comes to the offerings. With that being said, having experience in this area I have to acknowledge the overwhelming task of nourishing 50 million school aged children daily while also considering budget constraints and minimizing food waste. The bottom line, the USDA and schools are trying and ultimately it is not a bad thing to let your kid buy lunch.

Let’s consider the USDA standards.

Current Lunch Standards:

• Calories goals of 550-850 with higher ranges for the 9-12th graders and lower ranges for K-5th.

• Focus on balance of protein, starches, fruit/veggie, fat, and calcium rich foods.

• Fruit & vegetables are required at every lunch with weekly offerings of dark green, red/orange veggies.

• Milk offerings are non-fat or low-fat, flavored or unflavored. Water must be available.

• 80% of all grain offerings must be whole-grain.

• Sodium is at or below 1,110mg for K-5, 1225mg for 6-8, and 1,280mg for 9-12. This will be reduced to <935mg for K-12, <1035mg for 6-8, and <1080 for 9-12 by July 2027.

New standards that went into effect July of 2024:

• Sugar: no more than 6g sugar/dry ounce of cereal, 12g for 6 oz of yogurt, and 10g for 8 oz of flavored milk. There will be a limit of <10% of total calories from sugar for the entire meal in July 2027.

• Nut, seeds, and legumes will be allowed as meat alternatives and meet the requirement for 1/2 cup legumes offered/week.

If packing lunch feels important, you can go full tilt or commit to packing a few times/week. Here are a few things to consider.

1. Understand the nutritional needs & schedule of your child.

   There are general guidelines based on age, but don’t let yourself drown in the details. Your body “reads” its nutrition over 4-7 days and children’s appetites very based on growth. How are they doing over a weeks time?

   When packing try to get 3-4 of the following categories:

   a) Starches(main energy source for growing, busy kids)

   • crackers, bread, cooked pasta, potatoes, granola, beans/legumes(also rich in protein), tortilla chips, pretzels, etc.

     b) Protein (builds muscle, hormones, enzymes, and helps you feel sustained)

   • meat, fish, eggs, milk (also high in calcium), cheese (calcium), yogurt (calcium), tofu

     c) fruit/veggies (fiber and a whole host of vitamins and minerals that help your body function)

   • fresh, frozen, canned in water/juice are all acceptable

     d) Fats (help certain vitamins absorb, support satiety, cell function, growth, and immunity)

   • oils, dressing, nuts, seeds, avocado. Cheese, higher fat yogurts, and certain meats can also be a significant sources.

     e) Fun foods (These can help bring enjoyment and remove the stigma of “bad” foods). I always try to provide 1 fun food in each lunch.

   • potato chips/Cheetos, candy or other sweet treats.

   2) Get your kids involved.

   Once they are school age, most children can start giving their opinion on preference and even help with packing and clean up. Streamline the process and get some help.

   Talk to your kids about how different nutrients fuel your body and examples of foods that are rich in those nutrients. Kidseatincolor.com is a great resource. As a side note, some picky eating, resistance and avoidance can be developmentally appropriate. If you find your child is excessively picky or struggles with sensory issues, it is always helpful to consult with your healthcare professional for help.

3) Keep it simple. No, you don’t need to create the perfect Bento Box lunch for your kid to be well nourished. Consider the following lunch ideas:

• Peanut Butter (or Sun Butter) sandwich with strawberries and a chocolate pudding

• Tortilla chips with bean dip (canned black beans or refried beans, salsa, sour cream and shredded cheese) and chocolate milk. You can add a side of fruit or veggies if your kid likes.

• Whole grain crackers, cheese, apple sauce and a pack of Gusher fruit snacks.

• 1 slice of leftover pizza, watermelon and a yogurt.

Remember, it doesn’t need to be perfect. There will be days that they won’t get balanced nutrition. Lets face it, there will be days when they have left all the “healthy” foods to rot in their lunchbox. The goal is to know your best is enough. Keep looking for opportunities to model balanced eating, and the rest will fall into place.