How to feed your kids optimally when they go back to school.

It’s the most important meal of the day and you should not skip this meal. 

Don’t feed them the sugary cereals, rather go with minimally processed foods, protein and healthy fat and food carbohydrates. This helps to set them up for the day. 

Some examples:

Kind Cinnamon Oat Cluster Granola with Organic Valley Whole Grass Milk. 

Ezekiel Food for Life sprouted grain breads with organic peanut butter. 

Avocado Toast.

Quaker Organic Instant Oat Meal and add Cinnamon & Raisins.

Having a good breakfast is really worth the effort and doesn’t have to be complicated or stressful. 

Jessica makes breakfast a family meal. 

Don’t pack lunch in the morning, but do it the night before as you’re cleaning up for dinner so you can include any leftovers like cut up fruit or roasted & steamed vegetables.

Things to consider when planning lunch:

Incorporate different colors and textures because you “eat with your eyes” as well as your mouth. 

Modify foods to reduce choking hazards. 

Think ahead so as not to “double up” on any foods. If you’re going to have pizza for dinner, don’t feed them cheese sandwiches for lunch. 

Some examples:

Cheese sandwiches

Egg salad sandwiches

Hummus wraps

Salad with beans 

Tip: If you offer two vegetables, your kids will eat more vegetables than they would if you only offer them one.

Beverages should be water. Try freezing the water bottle and keeping it in the lunch box to keep the lunch cold. 

Favorite ingredients for packing lunches:

Ezekiel Food for Life Sprouted Grain Breads, English Muffins, and Tortillas

Rudi’s Organic Whole Wheat Bread

Applegate Organic Sliced Cheeses

Gelson’s Finest Organic Omega 3 Eggs

Follow Your Heart Vegenaise

Yellow Mustard

Cibo Naturals Pesto (Contains Nuts)

Organic Valley Pasture Butter, Maisie Jane’s Almond Butter, Santa Cruz Organic Peanut Butter

Various Fruits & Vegetables

Jessica’s August Nutrition Notes 

Contains school lunch recipes and a sample two-week lunch plan.

Panini Maker: Jessica makes panini the night before and refrigerate it overnight for the next day. 

Making the lunches fun by having multiple matching themed lunch boxes, water bottles, and napkins like with Frozen or Dora the Explorer adds something special to their lunches. 

Sistema BPA Free plastic containers. 

What if my child attends a nut-free school?

Are your lunch menus good for adults or just kids?

Email Jessica at [email protected]

Gelson's Registered Dietitian, Jessica Siegel, has a Masters in Public Health. However, she is not a doctor and her nutritional recommendations are not tailored to specific health problems. Always consult your physician before beginning any nutritional program.