FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - You can pack a lunch that will not only carry your child through the school day but also will help establish healthy eating habits to carry him or her through life, according to University of Arkansas researchers in health and nutrition.

"Every school lunch should include some form of protein, carbohydrates and at least one fruit or vegetable," said Marjorie Fitch-Hilgenberg, assistant professor of dietetics in the School of Human Environmental Sciences. But there’s more than one way to provide these lunchtime staples, she adds.

Mete the Meats: Tuna fish and chicken salad sandwiches may be a great way to pack protein into a lunch, but avoid using meats during the fall and spring, when rising temperatures also raise the risk of food poisoning.

After only four hours at room temperature, meats begin to spoil and can pose a serious health threat to young children, Fitch-Hilgenberg said. Even the popular pre-packaged lunch kits with deli meat and crackers need to be refrigerated, she reminds us.

Rather than running the risk of spoilage or weighing your child down with heavy refrigerated lunch packs, substitute peanut butter sandwiches or crackers and cheese during the hot months. Even milk purchased from the school cafeteria can add protein to a meal.

Grain Drain: Your kids may not need as many carbohydrates as you’re giving them. Bread on a sandwich counts toward this dietary staple as will many of the sweets or treats you include as dessert.

But if you feel your child needs the extra energy, Fitch-Hilgenberg recommends that parents add crackers, pretzels or even dry cereal to a lunch sack rather than dropping potato chips in. Not only are chips high in calories and fat, but they’re too darn tasty. "Kids will eat what tastes good first, which may mean that they’re filling up on chips rather than eating their sandwich or vegetables," she cautioned.

Fruits and Veggies: Research has shown that if there’s one thing missing from the average child’s diet, it’s adequate servings of fruits and vegetables. From vitamins and minerals to fiber and antioxidants, "there are literally thousands of compounds in fruits and vegetables that may be health protective," said Luke Howard, associate professor of food sciences.

But if you’re going to make your children eat their vegetables, you need to know which produce packs the greatest nutritional punch. Howard suggests the following:

• Blueberries, blackberries and strawberries provide the highest levels of antioxidants of any fruit. Their blue, red and purple colors result from a class of pigments called anthocyanins, which may help reduce the risk of cancer. They’re also packed with vitamin C.
• Broccoli, a cruciferous vegetable, can help lower cholesterol and maintain healthy immune systems. It also provides cancer-protective compounds and is a source of Beta-carotene, the precursor to vitamins A and C.
• Carrots provide Beta-carotene and Alpha-carotene, which can help prevent cellular damage. Plus, the baby carrots sold pre-packaged in stores are naturally sweet, which makes them easier to swallow for kids, Fitch-Hilgenberg said.
• Spinach is a real produce powerhouse, providing vitamins A and C as well as lutein (which contributes to healthy vision) and folic acid (which helps prevent birth defects). But don’t just glop a spoonful of cooked spinach in that lunch sack and expect your child to gobble it up.

The key to getting kids to eat vegetables is to hide them in tastier foods. Fitch-Hilgenberg recommends chopping spinach leaves finely and mixing them into mayonnaise or cheese spreads for sandwiches and crackers. Such tactics sneak key nutrients into your child’s food.

"Don’t just lay vegetables onto food loosely. Kids are expert at peeling them off," she said. "Integrate them into the meal, and be creative."

Fitch-Hilgenberg also suggests using fresh fruits and vegetables rather than dried ones, which usually contain lower levels of vitamins and may be coated with sugar. Pre-packaged fruit cups provide a convenient and healthful alternative to fresh fruit as long as they’re not drenched in sugary syrup.

And she concedes that if the only way to get your child eating vegetable is to serve them with dip, do so: "In children, it’s more important to get them eating a variety of foods than to count all their calories."

Desert the Desserts: Fitch-Hilgenberg asserts that sweets are okay to include on occasion, but they should not become a regular feature of your child’s lunch. Reserve the desserts for dinnertime, and include healthful alternatives at lunch.

For example, graham crackers can often stand in for cookies, Fitch-Hilgenberg said. Raisins and other dried fruits provide an alternative to candy. If you do include dessert items, limit the portion. A little treat like a spoonful of chocolate chips or half a granola bar may be all it takes to satisfy your child’s sweet tooth.

Liquid Lunch: Be wary of what your child drinks. Sodas and some fruit drinks contain so much sugar, they should be considered dessert items, Fitch-Hilgenberg said. They also prevent your child from seeking more healthful thirst-quenchers such as milk, which can add protein and calcium to your child’s diet.

"You can find a coke machine in every middle school and high school across the country. Students who used to drink milk at lunch are now drinking cokes, and they’re missing valuable nutrients because of it," said Lori Turner, an assistant professor of health sciences, whose research recently showed that inadequate intake of calcium can lead to osteoporosis as early as the teenage years.

Milk, water and juice all represent healthful drink choices, but if you include boxed juices in your child’s lunch, make sure they’re 100 percent fruit juice rather than some syrupy imitation, Fitch-Hilgenberg said.

Selecting healthy foods can give children a strong start on life - but only if they eat them. "Half the battle is just getting kids to try new foods," Fitch-Hilgenberg admitted. "Listen to their likes and dislikes and try to work around those. Be creative and be persistent."

For fun lunch recipes continue reading.

FUN LUNCH RECIPES

A dash of creativity may be the most important ingredient for fixing school lunches. Fun foods can entice your child to try new tastes. Marjorie Fitch-Hilgenberg, assistant professor of dietetics at the University of Arkansas, offers a few of her favorite lunch ideas to get you started.

Roll-Ups

Ingredients: Processed cheese, Peanut butter

Instructions: Place a thick slice of high-quality processed cheese between two sheets of wax paper. Using a rolling pin, flatten the cheese. Remove the wax paper. Spread one side of the cheese with peanut butter. Roll the cheese up.

Substitutes: Cheese Roll-Ups can replace sandwiches, providing protein and carbohydrates. A single slice of bread can be substituted for cheese. Add tiny shreds of spinach between cheese and peanut butter for extra vitamins, folic acid and lutein.

Ants on a Log

Ingredients: Celery, Peanut butter or Cheese spread, raisins, peanuts or chocolate chips

Instructions: Spread peanut butter or cheese on a section of celery. Place raisins in a row on top of the spread.

Substitutes: For more protein, substitute peanuts for raisins. For a treat, use chocolate chips.

Sandwich Shapes

Ingredients: Bread, other sandwich materials

Instructions: Make a sandwich. Using cookie cutters, chop the sandwich into fun-shaped pieces. Creative shapes can convince children to try sandwich ingredients they might otherwise have shunned.