With the start of a new school year, Canadian parents are facing the familiar challenge of packing healthy lunches for their potentially picky eaters.

Faced with a sea of sugary snacks and processed foods in grocery store aisles, many parents and caregivers may struggle to find nutritious options that appeal to their kids. But with a few smart strategies, dieticians say it’s possible to make lunchtime both enjoyable and healthy.

“When we look at our kid’s school lunches, we want to make sure that we’re giving them all the nutrients that they need, which includes things like fiber and protein,” said Amanda Nash, a registered dietician with the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

“By having that fiber and protein in their lunch, they’re going to feel more satisfied from their food for a longer period. And then by getting all of those key nutrients through a balanced lunch, we’re going to help them to learn to grow, to be more creative, and to keep their attention and their focus throughout the school day.”

Canada’s Food Guide plate offers an excellent starting point for deciding what to pack in your child’s lunch, Nash said, striking a balance of vegetables and fruits, whole grains and protein foods.

The guide suggests filling half of the lunch with fruits and vegetables, a quarter with whole grains, and the final quarter with protein-rich foods. It also recommends steering clear or limiting ultra-processed foods.

Ultra-processed foods, such as sugary drinks, potato chips, and ready meals, have been linked to various health problems in numerous studies, including obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

But even if you do craft the perfect healthy lunch for your child, it can sometimes come back home with just a few nibbles taken, leaving parents feeling frustrated and disappointed.

But Nash said not to be discouraged; there are tips to work around this and make lunch both appealing and nutritious, adding that it may not be perfect every day.

“We want to remember that when we’re looking at food and nutrients and fueling our children, we need to look at the full day. So lunch doesn’t have to be perfect,” she said.

“We also want to trust our children’s sense of satiety. So we know that when they’re hungry, they’re going to eat. And when they’re full, they’re going to stop. We can choose what we offer our children, and then the children get to choose those offerings and how much they’re going to eat,” she added.

Angel Luk, a registered dietitian based in Richmond, B.C., suggests that the first step to improving school lunches is to involve your children in the process, no matter their age.

Start by making a list of healthy foods they like, such as their favorite fruits, and get them to brainstorm ideas for snacks, she explained.

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“And once you have that list, take them on that grocery run and guide them through and let them choose things, let them help pay for it, and then also bringing it home and washing and all of those steps,” she said.

“It seems so simple, but that is exactly how we get kids involved because the more involved they are and the more they’re part of that process in creation, they actually start to realize that, ‘I can create food. And food doesn’t have to come in a package’.”

Another tip is to plan lunches ahead of time, ideally weekly. Taking a few moments each weekend to brainstorm a variety of balanced meal options can help reduce stress during busy mornings and ensure that you have all the ingredients on hand, Nash explained.

Preparing some items in advance, like chopping vegetables or cooking grains, can also save time and make it easier to pack healthy lunches throughout the week.

“Planning ahead weekly can be really helpful. You can look for the sales in the grocery stores when they’re available. Stock up on some of the foods that are more shelf-friendly, freezer-friendly foods,” she said.

“And then at the beginning of the week, sit down with your kids and talk about what kind of lunches they want for the week.”

When it comes to healthy school lunches, simplicity often works best. Instead of feeling pressured to come up with a brand-new meal every day, focus on small, manageable changes, Luk said.

For example, she said to rotate different fruits, veggies, or sandwich fillings throughout the week, or keep the filling the same and just switch up the type of bread or wrap.

“Sometimes parents and caregivers are blown away by this, but kids don’t mind eating the same thing again and again, because a child’s priority may just be a simple fast lunch so that they can quickly eat and then run to the playground with their friends,” she said.

“It’s not a balanced meal that looks like an Instagram-worthy post. They just want to get it in and go out and play.”

Canada’s Food Guide and the Heart and Stroke Foundation recommend limiting ultra-processed foods in kids’ lunches.

In kids aged nine to 13 years old, ultra-processed foods make up nearly 60 per cent of their diets, Nash said. But diets high in ultra-processed foods including sugary drinks are linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, cancers, tooth decay and mortality later in life.

“Ultra-processed foods are going to be any food that is not necessarily identifiable as its original form. And so if we look at things like the lunch meats, some of those can be heavily processed. So an option would be that you can have you make your meats at home, maybe make a chicken or a roast, and then you can use those leftovers,” she said.

“However, we also recognize that that’s not always affordable and feasible for everybody. So we want to look again at how often and how much we’re including some of these processed foods, taking options and alternatives when we can.”

The World Health Organization also advises that children should limit their added sugar intake to less than six teaspoons per day, which is roughly 25 grams.

Luk said it’s OK to occasionally include a treat in your child’s lunchbox, like gummy candies or another sugary snack, as long as it’s in moderation. However, if you’re packing a sugary treat for lunch, consider skipping dessert at dinner, she added.

Many informative websites offer great ideas for healthy lunch meals, such as Canada’s Food Guide, the Heart and Stroke Foundation and UnlockFood.ca, a nutrition website by the Dieticians of Canada.

Nash suggested a fun way to introduce new foods to your kids’ lunches: put a spin on their favorite dishes.

For example, you could try a cold whole-grain quesadilla with sliced red peppers or tomatoes, or cold French toast cut into strips with yogurt and fruit. Pack a thermos of smoothie and a homemade whole-grain bun. Or, if your child loves pizza, try a whole-grain pita topped with hummus, cheese, and sliced cucumbers.