Help Your Kids Eat a Healthy School Lunch

Look Over the Menu Together
At the beginning of each week, take a look at the school lunch menu with your child and talk about the options. Encourage healthy choices, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, rather than only pointing out foods you’d like them to avoid eating every day, like hot dogs or pizza. Explain how a healthy lunch gives them energy and helps their bodies grow stronger.

Let your child know that what he or she had for lunch is just as important as a grade on a spelling quiz or how fun gym class was. Discussing food choices routinely with children emphasizes their importance. Reinforce good habits and make suggestions for other healthy items they may like. Children can also look to their peers to get new ideas. If your child is struggling to find foods he likes, tell him to take a look at his friend’s lunch for inspiration. 

Helping your child make healthy decisions on their own will give them independence and encourage them to try new foods. To model how to make healthy meal choices, I take my kids grocery shopping, and I explain what makes me pick various items. I’ll tell them that we’re getting cucumbers and red peppers (which we all like) and why those are healthy, but I’ll add in something we don’t get as often, like beets, and explain why those are good to try, too.

Sugars in juice or sweetened milk can add up fast. If your child is a big chocolate or vanilla milk fan, discuss certain days to splurge (e.g., Tuesdays and Thursdays).

Even the pickiest eaters will generally have a few healthy items they enjoy, like carrot sticks or apple slices. When you see those options on the lunch menu, those are good days to plan for a cafeteria lunch.

It’s okay to allow the occasional slice of pizza or other less healthy option for lunch if you feel your child is generally eating well and making smart choices. You don’t want your kid to feel like you’re taking all the fun out of eating.

School lunches are a good opportunity to discuss food waste with your kid, and let them know they shouldn’t take anything they aren’t going to eat. You can explain the reasons, like how landfills are filling up and how valuable food is. 

Picking food that’s good for you doesn’t happen only in the lunchroom. On days when your child will be bringing lunch, create the meal together. That allows your child to choose favorite healthy options and he or she may appreciate the concept of healthy whole foods even more. These lessons will then translate when your kid is in the cafeteria line and encourage him or her to choose similar foods.

If it’s allowed, go eat lunch at your child’s school and see what the food choices are like. You can offer feedback, suggest new items, or even join your school district’s wellness committee to learn more about what goes into meal-planning decisions and provide your own input. Knowing more about the food that’s served can help you fine-tune your suggestions to your child about what food choices are best.