Suzanne Henson, assistant professor and director of the Coordinated Program in Dietetics at The University of Alabama, offers these tips on how to pack a healthy school lunch:
1. As it is age appropriate, let children clean, peel or cut up fruits and vegetables. If they feel invested in their lunch, they're more likely to eat it.
2. Let children select the dinner vegetable and then pack leftovers into their own lunchbox.
3. Substitute healthier ingredients for those less healthful ones your child enjoys.
4. Go for color! Colorful fruits and vegetables are nutrition powerhouses because they're loaded with good-for-you vitamins and minerals.