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Are you packing the right foods in your child's lunch?
Posted: 09.14.2012 at 8:18 AM
Tess Hedrick

Tess Hedrick is a Multimedia Journalist for KTVO.

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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- Well, the kids have been in school for about a month and school lunches are now healthier than ever.

However if your kids are brown baggin’ their lunches, do you know if you’re packing the right foods?

Dietitians say to make your child’s lunch as colorful as you can by adding fruits and veggies. Even adding a healthy dip to make those veggies more appealing is a-ok.

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And if you’re wondering how many calories your child should be eating, experts say not to focus so much on the calories but what’s in the meal itself.

“Try to always make sure half of the lunch box is fruits and vegetables. If you give them a whole grain sandwich with lean turkey, maybe a piece of low fat cheese and then a starchy side, whether that's maybe some leftover rice from the night before, whole wheat crackers, whatever it may be that your child likes and then the skim or one percent milk. As long as you’re giving the child all of those things you're going to know that they’re getting everything they need in one meal,” said Heather Ware, Dietitian at South Hy-Vee.

Ware said convenience is key when trying to get your kids to eat fruit. By having the oranges already peeled and the apples already cut, all your child has to do is pop the piece of fruit in their mouth.

Click here for some quick and easy healthy snack recipes.

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