Nutrition Experts Offer Healthy Kids Lunch Recipes, Just in Time for Back-To-School

Registered Dietitian from Amway's Nutrilite Health Institute Outlines Easy, Healthy Ingredients with Nutritional Information

News provided by

Amway North America

Sep 13, 2011, 06:00 ET

ADA, Mich., Sept. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- NUTRILITE® nutritional supplements, exclusively from Amway, are steeped in the philosophy that optimal health starts with a nutritious, plant-based diet filled with a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables. Such healthy eating is often a challenge and never more so than in the school lunch. Kids don't always want to eat what's good for them and parents don't always have the time or resources to pack healthy, yet tasty, food.

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“Our children are overfed and undernourished,” says Julie Upton, MS, RD a registered dietitian and Nutrilite spokesperson. “Obesity rates are soaring among our next generation, along with chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes among school-aged kids. Some 98% of children fail to meet their daily fruit and veggie targets and most children are getting too many calories from nutrient-poor choices that provide little more than added sugars to their diet. A nutritious diet is key to help children stay focused and learn.”

The Nutrilite Health Institute offers the following oh-so-simple five-day school lunch meal plan, complete with why it's so good for your pint-sized learner.

"I'm always talking with parents about how they can make healthy meals and snacks that their children will love," says Upton. "This meal plan offers an excellent balance of the most important food groups for children: fruits and veggies; low-fat dairy; lean proteins and quality carbohydrates. It minimizes added sugars and saturated fat. Plus these meals are simple to shop for, easy to prepare and actually taste great.”


Monday	Health Benefits
1/4 cup hummus OR 1/4 cup olive & garbanzo bean salad with light Italian salad dressing and a few spoonfuls of low-fat mozzarella cheese cubes	Good source of protein, high fiber, good source of folic acid
4-5 whole wheat crackers	Good source of energy, fiber, vitamins, and minerals
1/2 cup carrot sticks	High in carotenoids and fiber
6-8 oz low fat yogurt	High in protein, calcium, probiotics, B vitamins, and potassium
4-6 oz 100% fruit juice	Good source of energy, vitamins and minerals

Tuesday	Health Benefits
Whole grain tortilla wrap OR whole Grain bread slice with tuna or other fish salad	High in fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, omega - 3 fatty acids
1/2 cup celery sticks OR red or green pepper sticks with low fat ranch dip OR creamy salad dressing	Good source of vitamin C, Fiber, vitamin K, and potassium
Small apple	Good source of fiber and antioxidants
8 oz low fat milk	High in protein, calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, and phosphorus

Wednesday	Health Benefits
Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread	High in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals
Low-fat String cheese OR three slices of low-fat mozzarella cheese	High in protein, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium,
Small banana	High in potassium and soluble fiber
4-6 oz 100% juice	Good source of energy, vitamins and minerals

Thursday	Health Benefits
Peanut butter (2 tbsp) and banana sandwich on whole wheat OR 1/4 cup egg salad made with low fat mayo on whole wheat bread	Peanut butter and banana is energy-packed and high in protein, fiber, potassium, and other vitamins and minerals; egg salad is high in protein, fiber and other vitamins and minerals
1/2 - 1 cup berries	High in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients
6-8 oz Low Fat Yogurt	High in protein, calcium, vitamin D, probiotics, B vitamins, and potassium
Water

Friday	Health Benefits
Cracker sandwiches - 4-5 whole wheat crackers, 2 oz lean lunch meat, and 1 oz slice of cheese	High in protein, fiber, calcium, and other vitamins and minerals
1/2 cup sliced cucumbers with low fat vinaigrette	Good source of vitamin C and fiber
Small pear	Good source of vitamin C and fiber
8 oz low fat milk	High in protein, calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, and phosphorus

Most children look forward to some kind of treat in their lunch boxes and healthy alternatives include baked chips, pretzels, trail mix, graham crackers, oat cookies, low sugar Jell-O®, and 100-calorie snack packs. Another healthy choice is NUTRILITE® Kids BRAINIUMS DHA® gummies. These tasty gummies come in strawberry or fruit punch flavors and sneakily provide omega 3s, essential nutrients that support memory, learning, and concentration with no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

About Nutrilite

NUTRILITE, exclusively from Amway, is the world's leading brand of vitamins and dietary supplements (Source Euromonitor International Limited; Vitamins and Dietary Supplements, World, Retail Value RSP, 2010). Amway is so committed to total quality control of its plant concentrates from seed to tablet, it offers the only global vitamin and mineral brand to grow, harvest, and process plants on its own certified organic farms. Nutrilite farms are located in California, Washington, Mexico, and Brazil.

NUTRILITE Daily Multivitamin, Concentrated Fruits and Vegetables, and DOUBLE X® Vitamin/Mineral/Phytonutrient, the brand's three most popular supplements in North America, have completed NSF International's Certified for Sport® program, which reduces the risk that a dietary or sports supplement contains banned substances.

SOURCE Amway North America