Packed School Lunches

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The National School Lunch Program has been revamped over the past few years to provide more nutritious, good-quality meals to students across the nation. As the stakeholders in childhood nutrition fight to continual improve the lunches provided by the schools, what about the lunches brought from home? The article, cited below, lists ten food items parents/guardians of students should consider not packing due to lack of nutrient value and extra calories. This all goes back to the epidemic of childhood obesity facing the country currently. Here are the 10 foods to not pack in a school lunch:
1. Lunchables
2. Chips and crackers
3. White Bread
4. Fruit Snacks
5. Soda
6. Juice
7. Dessert
8. Whole sandwich for young students
9. Allergenic foods
10. The same old thing
Most of these foods are being improved under the National School Lunch Program. Educating parents on how to pack a smart, nutritious lunch only makes sense so that children not participating in the NSLP can also enjoy a healthy lunch.

http://healthyliving.msn.com/pregnancy-parenting/back-to-school/what-not-to-pack-in-your-kids%E2%80%99-lunch#11

--Sarah Carlson

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