Today on News 4 Jacksonville, River City Live, I am sharing tips for packing healthy back to school meals and snacks.
Tip 1: Getting kids involved in preparing their own meals is one way to encourage healthy eating habits.
To build a balanced lunchbox, have them pick one from each category. For fruit I have fresh options and freeze-dried fruit snacks by Crispy Green. They snack like a chip, are made with 100% pure fruit, no added sugar. Then we have protein, whole grains, veggies and fun ingredients like gluten-free avocado brownies. My taco box checks all the boxes – I started with Fresh Cravings salsa which is actually a great way to get in a serving a veggies and is made with a short list of clean organic ingredients. Then add your whole grain tortilla, cheese and black beans for protein, and fruit chips and gluten-free avocado brownie.
Tip 2: Make sweet treats with benefits for kid’s that love dessert
I share brownies made with avocado, sweetened with Florida Crystals, an organic raw cane sugar sustainably made in Florida which is a minimally processed alternative to standard granulated white sugar that can be substituted cup for cup and is unrefined so it retains natural molasses. Avocado in this recipe allows you to cut back on the fat like butter or oil, and add good-for-you mono- and polyunsaturated fats.
Tip 3: Have healthy 20-min or less after school snacks on hand
Finally we have dietitian-approved after school meals that cook up in 20 min or less. I like the Brazi Bites gluten-free empanadas which are made with savory fillings and a crispy, cheesy crust so they are kid approved. Some other easy ideas include tortilla pizzas or PB banana sushi.
