Parents know that packing lunches for kids can become time-consuming and even frustrating. However, all parents want to pack their children a healthy and enjoyable lunch, but sometimes they run out of ideas as to what to put in those bags and boxes. Here are some good ideas about healthy lunches that your child’s dentist will surely approve for the youngest of kids all the way to your teenagers.
What to Avoid in Children’s Lunches
We often think that if we pack our children a lunch we will avoid some of the high sugary foods included in the school lunches, but we need to be careful about how much sugar we are putting in our kids’ homemade lunches as well. Believe it or not, you may want to limit the individual containers of applesauce. They tend to be loaded with sugars and we know all of our readers know that sugar exposure can easily lead to cavities. A small container of cottage cheese could be a good alternative. You can add real, fresh fruit to it to make it even more appealing. Speaking of fresh fruit, all fresh fruit is a good snack idea. We suggest limiting those sticky, gummy “fruit snacks as they are also loaded with sugar and they stick to the teeth, causing even more potential for cavities and gum disease.
Good Options for Children’s Lunches
Plain milk or string cheese is another good option for their lunches. Avoid any flavored milks, as they very sugary. Water is always the best drink to give your kids in their lunches. Plain milk or water should always take the place of a juice box or flavored milk.
Avoid the starchy snacks too such as chips and crackers, which can also break down as sugars and effect teeth. Some alternatives include hard-boiled eggs, chunks of cheese, and of course vegetable sticks as a snack. Crisp vegetables are a great snack that have the benefit of mechanical disruption of plaque on the teeth. Cucumbers, carrots, and sliced bell peppers of all colors are hits in our households. Try to make them appealing and consider asking your children to pick some vegetables they like and get them involved in how they want them cut or what kind they would like that day.
We hope this gave you some good ideas for the next time you are packing those school lunches and run out of good ideas!
About Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan, the offices of Drs. Delaney, Plunkett, Ralstrom, Makowski, Thanasas, Ker, and Associates
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan have specialized in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics since 1968. Our family-friendly and newly renovated office gives patients and families a more comfortable and consistent experience with dentistry from the very beginning. Our pediatric dentists treat children from newborn to 18 years of age while our orthodontists provide care for both children and adults and are proud to be Premier Providers of Invisalign and Invisalign Teen services. The ability to treat all patients with compassion and individuality, including those that may have special needs reaches beyond our facility, which has treatment rooms available for children who require additional privacy and customized care options. We pioneered valued hospital affiliations to allow dental services to be performed at DMC Children’s Hospital and St. John Macomb Hospital, when appropriate or necessary, and our specialists are also proud to be on staff at Henry Ford and Beaumont hospitals.
