Packing a Nutritious Lunch for Your Student that Won’t Break the Bank

The school year is officially in full swing, and you have probably seen the elaborate school lunches influencers are packing for their kids each morning. Are you trying to avoid that forgotten apple that rolls around at the bottom of your child’s lunchbox? Don’t fret— packing a nutritious, cost-effective lunch that your kids will actually be enticed to eat isn’t as difficult as you would think.

Pressure to spend money on expensive lunch treats has risen in the past few years with social media personalities creating elaborate food art using food picks, pre-packaged, pricey treats, and fancy drinks. While these lunches are pretty, they aren’t always easy on the wallet…or your health. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get kids to eat their lunch while fueling their bodies.

“Have your children participate in packing their lunch,” said Elaine Moore, registered dietitian at Iredell Memorial Hospital. “Bento boxes are popular. Time permitting, there are plenty of examples of how to make food look interesting, such as ants on a log.”

Bring back some childhood nostalgia with this fun snack! Ants on a log are cost-effective, easy, and nutritious treat to pack. To make this, you will need:

• Celery
• Peanut butter
• Raisins

Wash and cut celery into smaller pieces. Spread peanut butter into the celery. Garnish with raisins. The finished product is not only nice to look at and fun for kids to make, but also packed with nutrients from three different food groups.

“Try to pack one item from each food group (fruit, vegetable, starch, protein, fat). Give them a variety,” explained Moore.

A big mistake parents make when shopping for school lunch foods is buying mostly pre-packaged foods. Moore suggests buying in bulk. By spending a little time on prep at the beginning of the week, you’ll save some serious money. Examples include:

• Instead of pre-portioned carrots and ranch, buy a bag of carrots and a few small containers to portion ranch for the week. (Dippin’ Stix Baby Carrots & Ranch Dip: $1.47/serving, Bolthouse Farms Baby Carrots & Kraft Classic ranch: $0.31/serving. Prices are from Walmart.)
• Skip the sugary drinks! Not only are drinks such as sodas and sport drinks expensive, but one 20 oz. soda has as much sugar as four donuts or twelve cookies. Entice your child to drink more water by allowing them to choose their own reusable bottle. If they need more flavor, try adding fresh fruit or sugar-free flavor packets.
• Give your kid some power over their plate. Store pre-portioned food by their food group in your pantry and refrigerator for grab-and-go lunches. A well-balanced lunch could look like:
  • Apple slices (fruit)
  • Carrots and ranch (vegetable & fat)
  • Deli ham & cheese roll ups (protein)
  • Whole grain graham crackers (starch)

Maybe your child doesn’t pack their lunch, but the school provided lunch isn’t quite enough for their growing appetite. Have your child choose a supplemental snack to throw in their backpack to combat those late afternoon stomach rumbles. Any of the foods listed above are great examples.

Packing a nutritious lunch doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. With some preparation, your child will be excited to see what’s in their lunchbox.

About Iredell Health System
Iredell Health System includes Iredell Memorial Hospital; Iredell Mooresville; two urgent care centers; Iredell Home Health; Iredell Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center; Community and Corporate Wellness; Occupational Medicine; the Iredell Physician Network and more. Iredell Memorial Hospital is the largest and only nonprofit hospital in Iredell County. The comprehensive healthcare facility has 247 beds; more than 1,800 employees; and has 260 physicians representing various specialties. Centers of excellence include Women’s and Children’s; Cardiovascular; Cancer; Surgical Services and Wellness & Prevention. The Health System’s second campus, Iredell Mooresville, is home to the area’s only 24-hour urgent care facility, as well as an ambulatory surgery center, imaging center, rehabilitation services, and physician practices. The mission of Iredell Health System is to inspire wellbeing. For a comprehensive list of services and programs, visit.