HEALTH

Mix Up the Meat

A lot of deli-style meats have tons of added sodium that your bod just doesn’t need. So instead of chowin’ down on a boring sandwich for your entree, bring cold tortellini or quinoa salad with lots of veggies, or chicken salad with apples and raisins. Sneaking those fruits and veggies into your main dish is a good way to get added vitamins and minerals, too.

Fresh Dessert

Instead of bringing a candy bar for dessert, add fresh fruit to your lunchbox. It’ll be nice and sweet without adding all those empty calories. And if you munch on an apple or grapes, the fiber will fill you up, too, so you won’t have your stomach growling again before school lets out.

Go Green

You love salad, but not when the dressing has made it all mushy after a few hours of sittin’ in your lunchbox. Well, you can protect the lettuce by putting the salad dressing in a separate container. Grocery stores sell Tupperware that comes in all shapes and sizes, so find a few really tiny containers that’ll hold just a few tablespoons of dressing. Then you can bring all kinds of salads for your main dishes. Just add some nuts, cheese or dinner leftovers to change them up daily.

A Whole New World

Lots of the bready snacks we love are now made with whole grains. So when you’re at the store shopping for lunch supplies, make sure that your snacks are packed with that extra fiber that your bod will love, too. You can even get whole grain bread or tortillas for your main dish to add some healthiness there. Even better? Take a look at the ingredients list on each of the snacks you like to stock up on, and pick and choose based on what ya see—nix munchies piled high with preservatives and chemicals ya can’t pronounce.

Dear Dairy

Don’t forget to throw a yogurt or a pudding cup into your lunchbox. That’ll give your bones the calcium that they need to grow right. So if you’re cravin’ something sweet, go for pudding. We also heart Greek yogurt as a side dish, since it’s low in fat and super tasty.

Get Creative

Instead of buying lunchables at the store, make your own. They’ll have less sodium and saturated fat, and you can put whatever you want in ‘em. So shop around for your fave crackers, cheeses, fruits and lean meats. Then pack them up in little containers, and put them together however you want come lunchtime.

by Carrie Ruppert | 2/1/2016