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Think Outside The (Lunch) Box

Posted: 9/7/2010

Surprise and delight your children by putting a little note of encouragement or one that says "I love you" in their lunch boxes.

(NAPSI) - Here's food for thought: Helping your youngsters enjoy a healthful lunch at school can be simple if you take these six easy steps:

1. Variety is the spice of lunch. Help kids decorate their lunch boxes with colorful stickers and use cookie cutters to create sandwich bites. Let them select and pack fruits and veggies in interesting shapes.

2. Involve kids in the lunch-making process. Work with your children to create a menu for the week, shop for ingredients and prep their lunches each day.

3. Milk that sweet tooth. If you want your child to drink more milk and he or she prefers something a little sweeter, try chocolate milk, which will satisfy their taste buds and provide important nutrients for their growing bodies. For example, an 8-oz. bottle of nutritious, low-fat chocolate milk from Nesquik is an excellent source of calcium (it contains 40 percent of the recommended daily value) and packs eight grams of protein per serving.

Since kids can sometimes prefer chocolate milk to regular milk, it's a great way to get them to consume added calcium and nutrients such as vitamin D that they need. Fun facts you may also not know about chocolate milk:

• According to the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, research has suggested that when consumed after exercise, chocolate milk can refuel the body and aid in the recovery of muscles.

• The protein in milk contributes to "satiety," the feeling of fullness, which can help support healthy weight and help maintain muscle mass.

• The refrigerated section isn't the only aisle in which you can find milk. Nesquik four-packs are found in the juice aisle and can be a great option for the lunch box.

4. Encourage healthful play with "Little Dippers." This may be a great way to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. Try dipping baby carrots, celery sticks or broccoli florets in hummus; or strawberries or apple slices in plain yogurt drizzled with a little honey.

5. Keep it cool. Keep lunches "cool" by freezing vegetables or fruits such as grapes and putting them in the lunch box. They're natural coolers that will thaw by the time your child is ready to eat.

6. Go green. Try using eco-friendly products such as cans or bottles that can easily be recycled, or package food in reusable containers and lunch bags.

For more lunch box tips and fun recipes, visit www.nesquik.com.

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