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| Plan ahead! Have a healthy and safe school year. | 
Everyone knows I have been taking my health and wellness very serious and encourage my clients, friends and family to do the same.
As schools around the country are opening let's remember that students will perform better when they have healthy and nutritious food in their bodies.
Here are some tips to help you get started:
Switch white bread for whole grain: If sandwiches 
are a staple in your child’s lunch, the easiest way to make a change is 
to substitute whole grain bread for white. There are many varieties out 
there to please even the pickiest eater. You can also substitute flour 
tortillas with wheat ones and white pita with whole grain. Fill them 
with proteins like turkey slices and cheese. If your child prefers warm 
food in a thermos, you can fill it with brown rice, whole grain pasta 
and even oatmeal.
Pack a rainbow: Fruits and vegetables
 are great sources of nutrition. Make fruits and vegetables more 
interesting. Pack green and purple grapes or colorful berries, dried 
apricots, mangos, cut red and orange peppers into strips and send them 
with a fun dipping sauce like hummus or yogurt and send oranges already 
peeled and sliced. The prettier the presentation, the higher the chances
 are your child will reach for it.
Water, water, water: Juice may seem harmless, 
especially since the labels read things like “packed with fruit.” But 
juice adds a lot of unnecessary sugar and calories to your child’s diet.
 Consider 
rethinking what they drink
 and send a bottle of water along with, or instead of, the juice box. 
Not only does drinking water eliminate extra sugar from their diet, but 
it also keeps children from getting dehydrated throughout the day. 
Low-fat milk is also a good idea since it provides calcium and protein.
Think about temperature: Would you eat warm yogurt 
or cold rice? The temperature inside your child’s lunchbox is just as 
important as what is inside. Keep hot foods warm by sending them in a 
thermos, it helps if you first fill it with boiling water for two 
minutes to retain some heat. Keep cold items like cheese or hardboiled 
eggs cool by using ice packs. You can also use a refillable water bottle
 filled with ice cubes to keep things fresh, plus it will provide 
drinking water at the same time!
Plan ahead: Making a healthy lunch does take some 
thought, but the morning rush, when everyone’s trying to get out the 
door, isn’t the best time to get creative. Try to make a routine of 
packing some items the night before. Cutting up fruit, pre-making 
sandwiches, boiling whole grain pasta are all time-saving steps. Another
 good habit is to make 
weekly shopping lists (PDF), so you’re not stuck searching the cupboard for last-minute – and unhealthy – options.
Source:  USA.gov 
Make this school year a healthy and safe one!
Just because I love you.... Jill Dahne