BACK TO SCHOOL: Healthy lunches

WAUSAU, Wis. (WAOW) — Parents probably know the struggle of packing a healthy lunch for their kids that they want to eat.

Melissa Yates, a FoodWIse Nutrition Educator, UW-Madison Division of Extension, has some tips.

She said a big thing to remember is the five major food groups: fruit, vegetables, grain, dairy, and protein foods.

Yates said to think beyond just a sandwich, so trying a wrap or cheese, sausage, and crackers.

For fruit, it doesn’t always have to be fresh; try dried or canned fruit.

For dairy, if kids don’t take milk every day, try packing a cheese stick or yogurt.

And though parents may want to get all the grocery shopping done on their own, Melissa said to think twice.

“At the beginning of the week, maybe take a trip to the grocery store. and I know it’s sometimes more hassle to take your kids, but it’s a really good experience to help them to help you pick out some of those foods. and then cut those things up ahead of time, peel any vegetables, cut them up, put them in clear containers, so they’re easy to grab,” Yates said.

And for college kids, Yates says it’s about making a good choice, the easy choice, so doing things like cutting up those veggies ahead of time.

And if fast food is for dinner, she said to maybe have the hamburger but pass on the fries, and go for a healthier side option instead.

Instead of getting soda for a drink, another option would be to choose milk or water.