How to Bring Healthier Foods to Your Child's School Cafeteria

As a parent, you want to think that your kids are eating well, but can you be sure of that when they are in the school cafeteria? The reality is that there has been an overhaul at many of these cafeterias, which is a welcome change. Though there has been a lot of work done, however, there is still plenty of room for improvement. Those parents who want their kids to eat healthy must take a vested interest in school lunches. They want to be certain that their kids are eating well all the time, particularly in their lunches at school. This requires a concerted effort, involving parents and the school itself, always to push to bring healthier foods into the cafeteria. Significant results can be achieved in this regard by working together!

Taking a look at your local school cafeteria, are you sure of what they offered up these days? The best place to start is with the main meals that they offer, which can usually stand for some major improvements. Start with the type of bread being used for things such as grilled cheese. Kids are always going to love this staple, but if it is made with whole grain bread, it becomes much healthier. Offering up a salad as a possible entrée choice each day is always a great idea. Some kids will opt for this if you keep it interesting and fun, and that’s easy enough to do with salads. Then you want to look at other options, such as a turkey hot dog rather than the traditional frankfurter, or even chicken tacos as opposed to fatty beef tacos.

Start Healthy Eating Habits Early and They Will Last

Another thing to look at within the school cafeteria is the types of side-dish choices that are offered to the children. There’s really no reason to offer up unhealthy options, such as cookies or other desserts, because fresh fruit can work wonders. If you offer children the choice of strawberries or grapes, which are typical favorites, the kids may opt for them without any hesitation. You will find that offering fresh vegetables, such as carrots, cucumber, and even pepper slices, with a simple ranch or hummus dip can go a long way. When you give the kids the choice to eat healthy, they will usually jump at it. All you need to do is keep in mind that food should be fun, because that will keep you in the mindset that guides kids’ food selections.

When you look at your school cafeteria, remember that it’s a matter of getting rid of the junk and welcoming in the healthy options. This is easy enough to do by giving simple, traditional favorites a necessary overhaul. Getting rid of pop or sugary drinks is a good step, and so too is getting rid of the typical junk food to which many kids often resort. By offering healthy options, you ensure that your kids get what they need and that you help to fight off problems like childhood obesity. It all starts at home, but if you can get the school to be a place for eating healthy as well, it truly sends a consistent and healthy message to your kids.