Top Tips for Making Balanced Lunches for the New School Year

Food or drink

Tips for choosing healthy ingredients

Tortilla wrap

• Look for “whole grain” as the first ingredient such as “whole grain whole wheat flour”.

• Choose grain products with 2 grams or more of fibre per serving. For a high fibre choice, look for 4 grams or more per serving.

Cheddar cheese

• Look for partly skim milk cheeses with 20% M.F. or less.

Roasted turkey meat

• Make sandwiches with roasted turkey or chicken meat instead of deli meat. 

Baby spinach

• Dark green vegetables are packed full of nutrients. Leafy greens like Romaine lettuce, spinach and arugula are all good choices.

Canned peach slices

• Choose canned fruit packed in water or juice.

• Or look for fresh fruit in season. 

Strawberry yogurt

• Look for yogurt with less added sugar.

• Or choose a low fat plain yogurt and add sliced fresh strawberries.

Water

• Drink water often. Add flavour with lemon or lime slices.

Food or drink

Tips for choosing healthy ingredients

Bean chili

• Navy beans, kidney beans, white beans or lentils are nutritious plant-based protein choices.

• Choose canned tomatoes or sauce that are lower in sodium or have no added salt.

Cherry tomatoes with dip

• Choose low fat dip. Try tzatziki, hummus or salsa.

• Try other vegetables like sliced cucumber, bell pepper rings, baby carrots, sugar snap peas, green beans or celery sticks.

Oatmeal cereal bar

• Look for a lower sugar, higher fibre variety with at least 2 grams of fibre per serving.

Milk

• Choose white milk (2% M.F. or less), or fortified plant-based beverage.

• Try a lower fat yogurt drink.

Food or drink

Tips for choosing healthy ingredients

Whole wheat pasta

• Look for whole wheat or whole grain pasta.

• Choose a sauce made with lower sodium canned tomatoes or sauce.

• Add fresh vegetables such as onions, mushrooms and peppers for extra flavour, fibre and vitamins.

Side Caesar salad

• Look for a salad dressing lower in saturated fat.

• Instead of bacon bits, add roasted chicken breast (this is a great use for leftovers) or chickpeas for protein.

Smoothie

• Blend up your child’s favourite frozen fruit with plain yogurt, milk or fortified plant-based beverage.

• Using frozen fruit will help the smoothie stay cold and refreshing.

Food or drink

Tips for choosing healthy ingredients

Steamed rice

• Choose brown rice for a higher fibre, whole grain option.

Tofu

• Canada’s Food Guide recommends eating more plant-based proteins, like tofu. 

• You can also make stir-fries with chicken, pork, beef, salmon, shrimp and scrambled egg.

Bok choy, snow peas

• Other good choices are broccoli, leafy greens like spinach or kale and green beans, carrots or peppers

Mango slices

• Orange coloured fruit such as mangoes have vitamin A. Other good choices are papaya, peaches, nectarines, cantaloupe and apricots (but not oranges).

Whole grain muffin

• Try making some of these tasty and nutritious muffins as a quick addition to school meals or snack. Flying Saucer Muffins, Fruity Tutti Muffins, Pumpkin Cranberry Muffin Squares.