As back-to-school season is upon us, I love all the ads for crisp new school supplies. One thing that should be on all Mom’s list is a lunchbox. When we are able to send our kids to school with healthy meals, we give them a better chance to succeed in school. The more I learn about the additives and chemicals added to processed food, the more strongly I feel about making my own food for my family.
Here is my list of ingredients I try to avoid when possible:
-high fructose corn syrup
-food dyes
-non-organic dairy
-trans fat
-added sugars (ever read the ingredient list on some kids applesauce?!)
We use lunch boxes that give us room for a freeze pack to keep organic milk cold, fruit fresh and veggies crisp. Here is an option from California Innovations for the princess lover in your family. I like that it has the Microban lining to help minimize germs. I wipe mine down with Seventh Generation wipes to keep it fresh. You can find these fun totes at Target and other major retailers. They also have Cars for the little guys.
Here are some additional back-to-school lunch suggestions from EWG.
Skip processed meats — sliced lunch meats, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, sausage and the like — even though they’re easy to stick in a lunchbox.
Avoid meats treated with antibiotics or hormones (look for a “no” message on the label or buy organic).
Stick with chicken and turkey; they’re low-impact and low-fat.
Try alternative proteins such as hummus, nuts and whole grains.
What will you put in your kids lunch box that they love?
For more styles of the California Innovations website, please visit: www.californiainnovations.com
Disclosure: I was provided a lunch cooler for review, it in no way influenced my opinions here.
