Summer snacks and lunches for healthy kids

Most American children do not consume the minimum number of servings from all of the food groups in the Food Pyramid (http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/index.html)

Basic Guidelines:
1. Good nutrition starts at the grocery store. Create a healthy environment.
2. Pre-plan a lunch and 2 snacks daily for kids. Pre-prep healthy meals and snacks so they are ready to eat. Give choices but, make sure they are high in nutrition.
3. Include a fruit, vegetable and whole grain with each day's snacks.
4. Create a fun activity by providing a healthy snack recipe for kids to prepare.

Snack Ideas:

Raw veggies: Carrot sticks, Broccoli florets, Cherry tomatoes, etc. with low fat ranch dressing or hummus
Celery stuffed with peanut butter
Vegetable juice : V8 or V8 Fusion, whole grain crackers and string cheese
Fruit cups (fresh or canned)
Frozen fruit salad
Fruit Smoothie
Frozen grapes or bananas
Fruit and yogurt popsicles
Applesauce
Trail mix
Squeezeable yogurt (try frozen)
Yogurt smoothies
Cottage cheese and peaches

Lunch Ideas:

Bean and cheese Burrito, baked tortilla chips, salsa, raisins, water
Peanut Butter and All-fruit Jelly Sandwich on whole wheat bread, peach, carrot sticks, yogurt drink
Healthy Lunchboxable: triscuits, light string cheese, lean ham, cherry tomatoes, apple, 1% milk
Turkey and reduced fat cheese wrap, red pepper strips, banana, yogurt, water

Mercy Hospital dietitian Lori Manning came to the NEWS 9 studio with more.