"One-third of children's calories throughout the day are consumed at lunch, and we want to make sure those calories are nutritious and healthy," says Aaronson, wellness coordinator for Project Healthy Schools - a joint effort between the Ann Arbor Public Schools, the University of Michigan Health System (C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, MFit, the U-M Cardiovascular Center, and the UMHS Community Health Services), the U-M School of Public Health, and the Washtenaw County Department of Public Health that teaches students how to lead a heart-healthy lifestyle.

"It's also important because studies have shown that children who eat a healthy lunch do learn better in the afternoon," she says. According to the American Dietetic Association, kids who are nutritionally fit are more likely to have the energy, stamina and self-esteem that enhance their ability to learn.

Acknowledging child obesity problems, many schools are starting to offer healthier lunch options for students, Aaronson says, but packing a lunch is still the best option.

"Parents are sending their children to school with money to purchase what they think would be a healthy school lunch, but there's nobody at the school guiding the children through the line to tell them what healthy choices to make," she says.

The basic rule of thumb when packing a school lunch is to get in as many items from the various food groups as possible, Aaronson says.

Lunches should include at least one fruit or vegetable, as children need about five servings from the fruit and vegetable group every day. Kids are more likely to eat smaller portions of fruits, so a Clementine orange or a small, sliced apple is ideal. These foods should be kept cool and in airtight bags.

Aaronson suggests sneaking healthy items like dried fruits and nuts into homemade trail mixes. If your child still isn't interested, using pre-packaged fruits is acceptable - with some exceptions.

"Look for unsweetened applesauce, and choose fruit cups packed in their own natural juice or light syrup, instead of heavy syrup," she says.

Believe it or not, there are ways to make eating veggies fun.

"Kids love to dip," Aaronson says. "You could take celery that's cut into small pieces and send a little bit of peanut butter for the child to dip into, or you could send carrots and a little bit of low-fat ranch dip." Other healthy dip options include hummus and tahini.

A sandwich is often the main course of school lunches, yet many lunch meats contain 90-percent fat, Aaronson says. Instead, parents can choose fat-free or low-fat meats.

The best bread choices are whole wheat or whole grain, but alternatives to bread, like pitas, are gaining popularity.

"Wraps are really popular for adults but kids like them, too. You can add your favorite lunch meats and cheeses, or stuff it with veggies for a vegetarian child," Aaronson says, noting that some kids may like sesame seeds or nuts sprinkled on top to make it crunchy.

Pre-made meals such as "Lunchables" should be avoided, because of their high fat content, but parents can make their own versions of the popular product.

"You might want to pack your version of a 'Lunchable' by including freshly sliced, low-fat lunch meat with a low-fat, high-fiber cracker of your child's choice," she says.

Children need about three servings of dairy every day. Low fat cheeses, milk and yogurt are good dairy options, Aaronson says. Any yogurt that has less than 2 percent milk fat and doesn't have a lot of added sugar is acceptable, she says.

When it comes to beverages, Aaronson recommends only three choices: Water, milk or 100 percent juice.

"You need to read the labels on juice products to distinguish between a juice drink that has 100 percent vitamin C in it, versus one that's 100 percent juice. You need to look past the '100 percent,'" she says, noting that many fruit juices have 100 percent vitamin C but are only 10 percent juice and have lots of added sugar. Aaronson also points out that most fruit servings should come in a solid form for the benefits of the fiber.

It's perfectly acceptable to send a snack with your child's lunch, Aaronson says.

"Otherwise, they might end up trading that sandwich you give them for some appealing snack that somebody else has," she says.

Instead of high-fat chips or cookies, Aaronson suggests baked chips, pretzels, cracker products or the new, 100-calorie packs by Nabisco.

"I think we can put a tiny bit of candy into a child's lunch," Aaronson says. "It doesn't have to necessarily be on a daily basis, but there are a lot of options where you can send a Hershey kiss instead of an entire candy bar, or a trail mix that includes some M and Ms."

Tips:

Limit sugar in your child's lunch by choosing fruit cups with natural syrup only, unsweetened apple sauce and low-sugar snacks

For beverages, allow only low-fat milk, water or 100 percent juice

Let children help pack their lunches

Follow the food pyramid guide to know how many servings of each food group should be included in each day's lunch

Check the nutrition labels on all lunch foods

Buy no-fat or low-fat lunch meats for sandwiches

Try new things, such as wraps, to keep children interested in their lunches

Follow safe food handling practices - keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.

To learn more visit myDNA's Diet Nutrition Center 

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