Healthy school lunch options for kids

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) - When it comes to school lunches, kids have a variety of choices from pizza to chicken nuggets, and even healthier options like a salad bar.

School lunch programs have seen a decrease in funding, due to Covid, which has made it challenging to create those healthy lunches for students.

”Lots of nutritional requirements that they have to follow which is a challenge. From offering so many fruits and vegetables to offering so many whole grains to really watching sodium requirements, it’s tough. It’s challenging,” explained Cami Wells, a dietician and extension educator at UNL Extension Hall County’s office.

When it comes to packing a lunch to take from home, there’s certain items you need to include in your child’s lunch.

“Following those My Plate guidelines, so having something from all 5 food groups. Kids may think ‘Oh I don’t really want vegetables or don’t want fruits or whole grains.’ Trying them maybe they don’t like them cooked, but they like those veggies that are raw or more crunchy,” said Wells.

For more information on how you can keep your child healthy with nutritional lunches, click here.

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