Adding some creativity to school lunches can be simple, says registered dietitian

Ask many parents about making school lunches five days a week and you’ll probably get an eye roll and a sigh.

It can be one of the most monotonous morning chores associated with back to school.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Carrie Verishagen, a registered dietitian and the contact centre co-ordinator for Eat Well Saskatchewan, tells Saskatchewan Afternoon’s David Kirton that there are lots of easy and nutritious options for lunches — and it doesn’t have to be complicated, especially for picky eaters.

Parents can try and include a wide variety of colours and shapes and textures, or get a bento box type of lunch kit to add some variety.

“Mix up your bread,” she said. “Instead of always just doing a bread or whole wheat bread, try an English muffin. Try a flat bread (or) pitas. You can also do all sorts of fun things like cut sandwiches up into different shapes and triangles and use cookie cutters for smaller kids.”

Another trick she says is making kids’ favourite dips and serving those not with chips but with colourful fruits and vegetables.

“Or try things like unsweetened apple sauce,” she said. “Another really fun thing I like to do with my kids is make a smoothie. You can throw all sorts of fun fruits and vegetables into a smoothie, freeze them the night before and take them out in the morning and they act as a fun little ice pack.”

She explains that getting kids to also take part in making their own lunches is important. Let them have various nutritious options and they can choose what goes into their lunch so they’re more likely to eat it.

If you’re strapped for time, you can also make extra at dinner time and freeze leftovers for lunch the next day.

She said the most important thing is to try and have a nutritious, balanced meal with some fruits and veggies, a protein and a whole grain — something as simple as whole grain crackers, apple slices, snap peas and a boiled egg.