Should I pack my school lunch?
Most kids have the choice of packing lunch or buying
one at school. The good news is that a kid can get a
healthy lunch by doing either one. But it's not a slamdunk.
Chances are, some meals and foods served in the
school cafeteria are healthier than others.
The typical school lunch is still higher in fat than it
should be, according to a recent study. That doesn't mean
you shouldn't buy your lunch, it just means you might
want to give the cafeteria menu a closer look. Read the
cafeteria menu the night before. Knowing what's for
lunch beforehand will let you know if you want to eat it!
Bring home a copy of the menu or figure out how to find
it on the school web site.
A packed lunch isn't automatically healthier than one
you buy at school. If you pack chocolate cake and potato
chips, that's not a nutritious meal! But a packed lunch, if
you do it right, does have a clear advantage. When you
pack your lunch, you can be sure it includes your favorite
healthy foods — stuff you know you like.
When choosing what to eat, making a healthy
choice is really important.
Eating a variety of
healthy foods gives
you energy to do
stuff, helps you
grow the way you
should and can
even keep you from
getting sick.
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