If you are thinking of healthy lunch staples to have on hand for kids of any age, then look no further.  Here are ideas that will stave off early signs of low-blood sugar, keep energy levels high between meals and feed your family with fiber, fats, proteins, carbs and a host of phyto-nutrients.

Special note about low-blood sugar: it’s the state that all moms and dads need to avoid when it comes to keeping hormones, particularly insulin, in balance and prevent body fat storage. As an adult, you’ll feel it yourself as extreme hunger or thirst, headache, crankiness. Just look to when you last ate and ask yourself what you had. If you did not have protein and ate mostly starches or fruits, then you’re likely experiencing a crash. If you haven’t eaten in over 3-1/2 hours, then it’s time (next time shoot for 2-1/2 to 3 hours between feedings).

You’ll know your kids have reached low-blood sugar status when they begin complaining, get floppy or otherwise cranky.

Ask yourself when they last ate AND what they had. If your kids are eating mostly starches (breads, pasta, muffins, cookies, chips, candies, etc.), then they are liable to fall victim to mood swings more frequently. Long-term cycles of high and low blood sugar can lead to Type II diabetes, which is a terrible reality.

Make it a habit to balance all meals and snacks with a proper protein and fat combination along with fresh fruit/veggies. Starches are fine, but do go low on the junk food. Nobody needs to teach kids that habit. Typically kids eat junk at the expense of the real food that will help their bones and muscles to grow optimally not to mention their brains to function properly and their immune systems to be in high-gear.

If they are in sports, then make sure that complex carbohydrates, proteins and fats are consumed regularly throughout the day. You are what you eat. Feeding on junk will only allow the cells to uptake junk. Don’t sacrifice good nutrition for convenience. You don’t have to. Here’s how:

Keep on-hand nutritious staples that you can reach for in a pinch. Buy extra of these things (especially when on sale), so that you never run out (which seems to happen when you’re in a pinch). This is preparation at its finest. Plan ahead and prevent unhealthy quick-fixes so you can avoid fast food and other unhealthy solutions.  Ideas for staples include:

Nut or seed butter.  If food allergies are a problem, then try out sesame seed butter (tahini), sunflower or pumpkin seed butter.  You can buy it or make it yourself.  Peanut butter (organic and/or homemade), almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, etc. are great sources of healthy fats and some proteins AS LONG AS they do not contain added sugar, partially hydrogenated oils or preservatives.  Also, be aware that most conventional brands (Peter Pan, Jiffy, etc.) may contain genetically modified peanuts (GMO).  Nobody knows what these do long-term to our bodies and genes.  So, stay away from GMO if you want your kids and yourself to live as close to nature as we are meant to be. If in doubt, don’t buy it. If a label is not clear, then it probably is GMO.

Whole grain bread (if you use sprouted grain, then you get a gold star!)  Stop buying white bread.  Just stop.  (I’ll talk more on that later.) Give it to the sparrows and let their blood sugar fluctuate and their bellies grow fat. For you and the kids, however, make it whole-grain, fiber-rich bread. Aim for at least 3 grams of fiber per slice. That is harder to find than you think, but well worth the benefit to your plumbing. 😉

Raw honey, apple butter and/or a low-sugar jelly (not with added sweeteners). I found a locally produced apple butter at my favorite health-food store. It only has apples and cinnamon – no added sugar.  It tastes plenty sweet on a peanut butter sandwich, for instance, and can be used in other recipes like breads, muffins and pancakes. I will buy raw honey in bulk from a food co-op. It costs me under $ 3/pound and I get a two-quart jar (half gallon) for $ 18 or less. Most health food stores will sell bottles of raw honey. Although it’s a sugar, raw honey contains immune-boosting properties and B-vitamins. C’mon, it’s honey. You can also use honey for any baking or recipe that calls for sugar and not compromise your immune system in the process (more on that later).

Fresh fruit. Have fresh (organic if possible) fruit washed, sliced if necessary, but at the ready for those quick extras to throw in a lunch. Nothing adds fiber like an apple or a succulent pear (about 3 grams per fruit) and kids love their sweetness. Aside from their wonderful anti-oxidant properties fruits (and vegetables) play a crucial role in balancing the acid-to-base ratio in the blood. Too much acid over the years can lead to debilitating diseases (cancer, kidney disease, diabetes). Consuming fresh produce will cause your blood to become more alkaline and cleaner.

Fresh vegetables. Home-grown, organic or from a local farm are the best choices. Make sure to wash and cut up your veggies in advance. Just keep sandwich bags or small containers nearby so that you or your kids can quickly take a portion of veggies and drop them into their lunch box. Fish oils, anyone? Unless you have certain allergies or contraindications to consuming fish oils, consider keeping high-quality fish oil capsules in stock. The North American lacks in omega-3 fatty acids and fish oil can help regulate insulin levels (thus staving off body fat storage), reduce inflammation and Did you know that fish oils may play a part in helping kids with ADHD? No matter whether your child is diagnosed as such, the American diet is deficient in DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). This is an omega-3 fatty acid that is found in fish. Make sure your kids have fish oils daily. Experts disagree on the dosage children should consume, but 1 gram per day is looked upon as a safe standard. You can buy fish oil capsules for children that come in flavors like orange or strawberry. Search online or inquire at a local health food store. Add a couple capsules to junio’s lunch, and you can rest easy that his brain will be developing nicely and he’ll soon be more powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound… or at the very least getting a healthy source of omega-3 fatty-acids in his repertoire.

Dried fruits.  These are an easy high-energy snack, especially good for pick-me-up nutrition. Think of using them after a sports practice or game or whenever low-blood sugar is looming. They pack a high-calorie punch and are great treats for lunch time. Yes, I know -it’s not a candy bar or a Little Debbie. But think in terms of unprocessed and no preservatives, not to mention the benefit of immune-boosting properties from natural fruits. Speaking of preservatives, sometimes sulfur and sugar are added to dried fruits. Be sure to read the labels for purity sake.

Lean protein sources. Nitrate-free sliced turkey breast (again, ask the deli person to show you the label), boiled eggs, chicken breast even canned tuna are excellent staples to keep on hand. Look for sales at the deli and freeze any extra meat (yes, it keeps). You can also cook up chicken breasts in advance to grab for a whole-grain chicken sandwich (throw a little hummus or homemade honey mustard (mix: 2t mustard, 1/4c yogurt and 1 T honey), throw in a slice of tomato and dark green lettuce and you’ve got yourself a restaurant quality lunch for your child.

Water. Bottled water is convenient, but perhaps not environmentally friendly. Why not buy an insulated bottle and fill it with nature’s best substance for body cooling, fiber-dissolving, life-sustaining hydration? Save money on the boxed drinks with straws and reduce your child’s access to quick sugars, like high-fructose corn syrup, from juices. Let their sugars come from produce and dried fruits, they are less concentrated and include fiber and phytonutrients for cancer-fighting properties and optimal immune system function.

Bonus tip: Whole grains (best for breakfast or dinner). Oats, quinoa, brown rice or basmati rice (not plain white rice), millet, buckwheat, etc. are the unprocessed carbohydrates that contain fiber and sugars for your body without adding it to yours or your child’s waistline. Please stay away from white flour products altogether. White flour is nutritionally empty and serves only to quickly add sugar to the blood stream and a likely crash shortly thereafter.  You can cook up oats for the week and store them in your refrigerator to make an easy and filling breakfast as well as adding to muffins or your own homemade bread. Try cooking a little more with the unprocessed grains (again prep in advance so that you can heat up quickly).

To help you save time in the long-run encourage your children, as early as you think they can, to make their own lunches. It will be a pain in the gluteus maximus for you as they start the process (always leaving a wake of crumbs and such behind); however, you’ll be teaching them skills for life while using healthy ingredients. Most importantly, you’ll save yourself a lot of time. Have the ingredients at the ready for quick lunch-making. These staples will carry you through busy weeks and your good modeling will only serve to catapult your family’s fitness.

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