As the slower, gentler pace of summer gives way to school schedules and alarm clocks, you may find yourself in a bit of weekday panic as you struggle to get your kids out the door with backpacks, homework, and masks in tow. As you’re a healthcare professional, your days are already jam-packed. Add the prospect of planning and packing healthy lunches to the mix and it can all start to feel a bit overwhelming.

As you know, though, it’s important to take the time to plan and pack nutritious lunches and snacks for your little ones. Not only does proper nutrition help maintain healthy levels of vital nutrients, such as iron, folate, and vitamins A, B, C, and D,¹ it can also help prevent anemia, as well as obesity and Type 2 diabetes, serious conditions that are reaching epidemic levels among children in the United States.^{2, 3}

Contrary to what your kids may think, healthy nutrition doesn’t have to be bland or boring — and it doesn’t have to eat up oodles of your free time. Read on for simple, healthy lunches you can prepare for your children in virtually no time, along with tips to make your weekday meal prep a breeze. But first, let’s take a look at what experts recommend when planning your children’s lunches and snacks.

Preparing healthy school lunches for your kids doesn’t have to be time-consuming or difficult. Try these tips to help keep your children in top form … and keep you as stress-free as possible.

A major part of staying lean is to adopt and maintain a healthy eating pattern.

1. Go for variety and quality.
   No one wants to eat the same thing day in and day out, so make an effort to plan different lunches for the week, and to include plenty of variety within each meal to ensure a wide range of nutrients, advise experts at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.⁴

    

   Also, pay attention to the quality of the food you’re packing: New research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that two-thirds of calories consumed by children aged 2 to 19 in 2018 came from ultra-processed foods with an “overall poorer nutrient profile.”⁵
   
   
2. Don’t forget healthy snacks.
   To help give your kids the energy and focus they need during those long school days, be sure to include a snack or two along with their lunches. To keep things streamlined, simply focus on pairing a carbohydrate-rich food with a protein source, the experts at Harvard advise. Add a small amount of healthy fats, such as nuts and seeds, if you’d like. Some good snack choices include string cheese with carrots, berries with Greek yogurt, and celery with nut butter.⁴