Take the CANNP Healthy Lunch Month Challenge

With the kids back to school, you’d think you’d have a bit more time to yourself—not! Along with school also comes extra-curricular activities, and this can mean starting the day off nice and early with a hockey practice, trucking the kids to school, and then picking them up again only to transport them to their various dance, music, and karate classes.

Despite all your good intentions, healthy lunches can sometimes fall by the wayside, which is why the Canadian Association of Natural Nutritional Practitioners (CANNP) is asking you (and me!) to take the September Healthy Lunch Month Challenge.

Why is a proper lunch so important?
While a balanced, nutrient-dense diet is important to us all, it is essential for growing children, who require key vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients for healthy growth and development. Numerous studies have linked poor nutrition in children to poor performance at school, and it’s easy to understand why. Without the proper energy requirements, children simply can’t keep up cognitively.

How to take part
For the remainder of September (and for the rest of the school year—we dare you!), take special care to include whole grains, lean protein, and fruit and vegetables in your child’s—and your own—lunches. It really isn’t that hard.

The following time-saving tips might help:

• Prepare and organize school lunches for the entire week on Sunday. Perhaps make a huge pot of soup, or have family-made pizza night and incorporate pizza slices for lunch.
• Ask your children to help out—let them choose favourite fruits, veggies, and sandwich ingredients. Assign them the role of assistant chef.
• Cut up a variety of veggies, such as carrots, celery, and bell pepper, and keep them in a large, airtight container in the fridge for quick grab-and-go snacks.

Lunches have you stumped? Check out these super simple and delicious lunch ideas featuring tree nut butters and nut butter alternatives. And give your children a great start in the morning with these kid-approved breakfasts.