Nanny to Mommy

It is closing in on the end of summer which comes just in time for back to school, back to daycare, back to LIFE and set schedules for many families. I have been preparing the kiddos lunches every day including personalized handwritten notes. I love making their lunch for multiple reasons.
1. I feel like I can make their lunches cheaper than buying it,
2. I can see what they are eating each day, and
3. I can make sure they are eating a balanced, no sugar added meal, and they are teeth friendly lunch options as well.




What does "no sugar added" mean? In this case it means some of these foods still contain sugar naturally. Added sugar has been added to a food or product during the manufacturing process. To avoid added sugar, look for words on a food label such as glucose, sucrose, dextrose, high-fructose corn syrup, raw sugar, rice syrup, corn sweetener, fruit juice concentrate, brown sugar, corn syrup, can juice, can sugar, crystalline fructose, beet sugar, caramel, and barley malt.

Here's a little guide to sugar intake. Every 4 Grams of Sugar = 1 Teaspoon measurement
The recommended amount of sugar for 2–3-year-olds is 25 grams of sugar, or about 6 teaspoons.
The recommended amount of sugar for 4–8-year-olds is 28-32 grams of sugar, or 7-8 teaspoons.

Hard Boiled Eggs - I make a bunch & keep them in the snack drawer

Hummus

Chickpeas

Nuts

Natural Peanut Butter

Kid’s Daily Essentials Nutrition Shake Mix is perfect to start to your child's day, but it is an awesome in-between meal treat. This organic milk from Naked Nutrition contains only the highest-quality ingredients for protein along with an organic vegetable blend to provide well-rounded nutrition your loved ones need. Containing 8g of Protein from organic milk, 6 organic vegetables powders, 25 vitamins & minerals and only 100 calories. This delicious protein packed beverage has no artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, or preservatives and maintains a certified gluten-free, soy free, and GMO-free status.

Fresh Fruit like apples, bananas, oranges, raspberries, strawberries, cut up grapes, etc.

Unsweetened Applesauce

Avocados - no more than a quarter a day

Lindsay Snack and Go! Olives - they are a delicious, convenient, and finger-friendly snack with no liquid or mess. Great for portability due to its size, their Snack and Go! Olives are an easy and better-for-you way to add more fruit to any lunch box. They are friendly for diets such as keto, Whole30, paleo, vegan, and gluten free. They do not contain artificial flavors and are non-GMO with BPA-free lining in their packaging. Lindsay Snack and Go! Olives come in four varieties: Pitted Black Ripe, Sliced Black Ripe, Kalamata Pitted, and Pimiento Stuffed Spanish Manzanilla Olives. I enjoy adding them to my salads!

Plain Greek Yogurt

Cheese Slices - use block cheese because shredded can have hidden sugars/carbs.

Roasted Sweet Potato Bites

Homemade Salsa

Cucumber Slices

Carrot Sticks - It's cheaper to peel/cut them yourself or baby carrots (they are washed in chlorine, but it is less than what is in normal drinking water)

Bell Pepper Slices

Edamame

Pretzels - always check the food labels because some brands have added sugar.

Unsalted Popcorn

Dates with pits removed (starchy fruit)


I have created an easy printable list for your fridge so you can keep these ideas fresh for your next shopping trip:

There are a few reasons why you don’t want to give your child too much sugar. Besides weight issues, too much sugar in your child’s diet can affect their teeth and make them have trouble sleeping. For a well-balanced body, exercise is key, but nutrition is the most important piece of the pyramid. With sugar even natural sugar, you want to make sure it is consumed in moderation. Healthy habits start now, so let’s set them up for success!