This morning, a client of mine asked me to provide some recommendations for items to put in the kids' lunches. Every child is different. You have to make accommodations for each one's needs. I have one child who is allergic to nuts and is also very selective, one who has ADD and you can barely pinch a millimeter on his body. He doesn't like sandwiches! My third child has no food limitations except that she is on the high end of the healthy BMI range so we need to keep an eye on her caloric intake without ever making her feel deprived or like she is on a "diet." I never use that word in our house! Any discussions about food need to be about how it gives us energy to do the things we want to do vs. making us feel tired, etc. Generally, all kids may benefit from diets that are high in fiber, relatively low in sugar, and high in protein and whole foods. The reduced sugar intake should be introduced on a gradual basis. Sugar may be offset by the amount of fiber your children eat. Check out this list to get some ideas:
celery, cucumber, or carrot sticks and low fat ranch
sandwiches with 100% whole grain bread and lean meat such as honey ham or honey turkey with cheese or honey mustard
fresh fruit
nut clusters
dried fruit and nut trail mix
pudding
yogurt
cottage cheese
cream cheese on meat rolled up and held together with tooth picks
sweet potato chips
all-fruit roll-ups
fruit chips
low fat natural string cheese
I think pudding is okay if it is made of all-natural ingredients. It is a heavier item and will satisfy hunger. This also applies to yogurt and cottage cheese. For children who need to gain weight, put a high caloric drink such as juice or milk. However, most kids need to stick with water to drink.