Great School Lunches, After-School Snacks

By Merilee Kern
CEO of healthykidscatalog.com
For eDiets

If you are worried about your weight AND your child's weight, be sure to check out the new eDiets Trim Kids program. We offer a wealth of information to keep you and your family on the straight and narrow.

In preparing for "back to school" season, you surely hit more than your fair share of stores in search of new clothes for your ever-growing child, along with a litany of school supplies too numerous to name.

Don't forget healthy school lunches and after-school snacks as you plan for the school year.

With this in mind, here are a few dietary suggestions on how to assure a happy school day is also a healthy school day:

Lean meat, such as shaved ham or turkey, on whole-grain bread or in a wheat wrap with some lettuce, low- or fat-free cheese and a touch of low- or fat-free mayonnaise or mustard is sure to please... and nourish.

Even the quintessential children's sandwich PB&J can be made in a healthy way these days. Many peanut butter brands now offer low-fat and low-sodium versions. That, coupled with an all-fruit, sugar-free jelly on whole-grain bread makes this school cafeteria staple a guiltless pleasure.

• Tuna fish is jam packed with oh-so-beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. When mixed with low-fat mayonnaise, diced apple and, if your child likes, a bit of onion and served in a wheat pita, it's delicious.

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BLTs can also be healthy! Simply swap regular bacon for the turkey bacon variety, but eat in moderation because it still has high levels of sodium. Layer with lettuce, tomato and fat-free mayonnaise. Sandwich in whole-grain bread or roll into a pita wrap. Your child will nary know the difference between this healthy version versus its fat-packet counterpart.

What to serve on the side of the main school lunch item? Options abound: low-fat pretzels, fat- and sugar-free yogurt or cottage cheese, celery sticks filed with low-fat and low-sodium peanut butter, any kind of pre-washed fresh fruit, dried or dehydrated fruit: raisins; apricots, pears, apples, roasted or raw almonds, walnuts or peanuts (not oiled or candied), low-fat string cheese or chunked low-fat cheese, and even baked chips or healthy pita chips in moderation.

Skip the sugary juice box and send along a bottle of water to get your child in the habit of working toward his/her optimal fluid intake (experts recommend one consume about .5 ounces of water per pound of body weight).

It's common knowledge that after school is prime time for snacking, and is also a time when many kids make, shall we say, less-than-nutritious food and beverage choices.

Here are some waistline-friendly after school snack alternatives your kids are sure to love:

Potato Chips/Fries: Cut the potato(es) in the desired shape (round, rectangular, oblong, etc.). Fully coat with egg whites. Season with a touch of salt or other herbs as desired. Bake at 350 until golden brown. Serve with sugar-free catsup.

Popcorn: Air-popped popcorn. On it, drizzle a moderate amount of powered butter substitute, light Parmesan cheese or even honey for a tasty twist.

Pizza: On a fat-free/low-calorie/low-carb whole-grain tortilla (or whole-grain bagel), smear tomato paste or sauce and top with fat-free cheese, whatever veggies the child likes, and even lean meats such as ham or turkey dices. Bake at 350 until cheese is melted with a few brown spots on top.

Tortilla chips: Cut Chinese wonton squares (usually found in the produce aisle) in half diagonally so they become triangles. Spread out evenly on a baking sheet, lightly coat with cooking spray and sprinkle on a dash of salt. Bake at 350 until crunchy. Eat alone, or serve with fat-free salsa or the below-described Mexican bean dip.

Mexican bean dip: Drain and food process two 14-oz cans of black beans. Add 3/4 cup of fat-free salsa and 1/2 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, and blend until completely smooth. Top with a dab of fat-free sour cream, fat-free cheese, diced tomatoes, chopped green onions, etc., as desired.

Fruit smoothies are a warm-weather staple that can, and should, also be enjoyed year-round. While fruit smoothie recipes abound, it need not be a complex process. Simply blend, in amounts to your personal liking, either plain or flavored fat-free and sugar-free yogurt with skim milk, ice cubes and either fresh or frozen fruit chunks. For added sweetness, you can add a touch of honey or an artificial sweetener such as Splenda. Blend and enjoy!

Healthy ice-cream sandwiches are a snap and always a crowd pleaser! Purchase any type of round fat-free and sugar-free cookie (preferably the new whole-grain varieties) or bake any low-fat and low-calorie cookie recipe from scratch. Sandwich waistline-friendly sherbet, sorbet or gelato between two cookies and press to make a sandwich. For added excitement, flavor and visual interest, you can also roll the outside edge of the "sandwich" in chopped unsalted nuts, shredded coconut, raisins or finely diced fresh or dried fruit.

While the word "parfait" may not be in your child's vocabulary, (s)he will love making and eating this snack. In a cup or bowl, simply create thin, alternating layers of non-fat yogurt, low-fat granola (or other heart-healthy cereal product), and fruit slices or whole berries. Make as many layers of each as you like, then dig in!

And let's not forget how much colorful, jiggly Jell-O can delight, especially when it is jam-packed with diced citrus fruit.

Hungry for more tips? Sign up for the eDiets Trim Kids Program. It's a kid-friendly treatment for overweight children that provides meals and recipes designed for a child's tastes. You also get weekly tips, suggested activities, online meetings, chats and much, much more. Visit to eDiets to get started!

Merilee A. Kern is founder and CEO of Healthy Kids' Catalog, a Web-based storefront offering Solutions That Foster Healthy Children. She is also author of the award-winning fictional children's book, It's Not Your Fault That You're Overweight -- A Story of Enlightenment, Empowerment and Accomplishment for Overweight and Obese Kids.