The Costco Connection - September 2015

AS MY KIDS head back to school each year, I’m usually pondering three questions: Who will they get as their teachers? Will any of their friends be in their class? And, finally, what am I going to put in their lunches?

The first two usually work out OK. But that lunch thing? That’s the one that keeps me up at night.

It needs to be nutritious. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, a healthy lunch includes whole grains, lean protein, dairy and lots of veggies and fruit.

It needs to be compact, while protecting both the temperature and integrity of the food.

Most important, it needs to be something the kids will actually eat.

That’s the tough part, says Katie Sullivan Morford, a registered dietitian, mom of three and Costco member. Her book, Best Lunch Box Ever (Chronicle Books, 2013; not available at Costco), offers tips for creating enticing lunches.

She notes that it’s also the one meal the kids eat out of sight of their parents. At breakfast and dinner, we can encourage our kids to take in more of the healthy stuff. But at lunch, they have only their taste buds to guide them.

It’s time for some professional help. I call Morford, an experienced schoolteacher, and, of course, the buyers at Costco.

A (whole) grain of truth

In her book, Morford writes that whole
grains are an essential part of kids’ lunches,
because they provide a steady source of
energy and “are the No. 1 fuel for those hard-
working brains.”
Bread can be great—if it’s the right kind.
“If [the bread label] says ‘whole wheat,’ it
means that the bran and the germ of the grain
are intact and therefore it has all the fiber and
the nutrients you want,” she says.

The next challenge is to get the kids to eat that healthier bread.

“For kids who have been raised on white bread, it can be kind of a hurdle,” Morford agrees, adding that it’s OK and maybe necessary to make a gradual switch.

“It can be something as simple as making one of the slices on a sandwich whole wheat and leaving the other white. Eventually kids develop a taste for these things,” she says.

Whole grains aren’t limited to bread, either. Popcorn is another great, kid-friendly source (just be sure to limit the butter and salt), as are certain crackers, pasta and oats.

Ways to beat the brown bag blues

Lunchbox 101

Kerry Johnson, who writes about health, consumer and lifestyle topics, fills this month’s consumer reporter slot. Send questions about this article to: