School lunches need to be something fun, fast and nutritious, says local Dietician Gladys King of the Bermuda Wellness Centre.

Planning ahead and involving your child in the planning helps to teach them about good food choices.

It also increases the chance that they will eat the lunch prepared for them.

Parents are advised to look for many individual fruit cups, pudding cups, dried fruits, granola bars or boxed juices with 100% juices.

Pack as much of the lunch as possible the night before, giving the child as much responsibility for this as is appropriate for their age.

Healthy lunch suggestions include:

Bagels, rolls, pitra packets, English muffins, raisin or multigrain bread are healthy choices for a healthy lunch. You can vary the type of bread you use each day to make it interesting and appealing. Try naan or flour tortilla wraps. Cut the bread into a fun shape with cookie cutters for variety.

Pasta salad is another option. Use fun shaped and coloured pasta such as small shells, ABCs, twists or bow tie noodles.

Chicken, tuna or egg salad is packed with protein. Serve it in pita bread or in a small cup or container (and remember to go light on the mayonaise).

Luncheon meats such as lean cuts of turkey, ham or roast beef. As for thick cuts of meat and then cut them into animal images with a cookie cutter. Combine in container lean lunch meat, cheese, whole grain crackers, veggies with dip and pudding.

Raw vegetables can be appealing. Try low-fat ranch dressing for vegetable sticks. Serve celery sticks cut into small pieces and filled with peanut butter. Or around the holidays, include slices of green and red peppers.

Beverages:

When it comes to choosing a beverage for lunch, milk is recommended. it really doesn't matter if it is white or chocolate milk, just so your child gets the nutrition from milk.

Fruit juice is an okay substitute for milk once in a while. Best to choose 100% fruit juice and not a high sugar drink. Calcium fortified juices are even better. Children should not drink more than four to eight ounces of juice a day.

For children who are lactose intolerant (the inability to digest tactose, the sugar found in milk) lactose-free milk or soy milk is a good alternative.

Food Safety:

With Bermuda's warm and humid climate it is very important that foods are kept at the proper temperature to prevent your children from getting ill. An insulated thermos or an ice pack in the lunch sack will keep the milk or juice cold.

Snacks:

Snacks can be just as important as the main course. School snacks are best if they are simple, neat and healthy. Stay away from cookies, cakes, chips and other prepackaged sweets. Instead, try some of the following ideas:

Pretzel sticks

Graham crackers

Whole wheat crackers

Sesame breadsticks

Naturally sweetened cereal

Trail mix (dried fruit with nuts and seeds)

Granola bars

Applesauce or fruit

Mini rice cakes

Air-popped popcorn

Yogurt

Pudding

A food guide pyramid for children is available on the following website: www.usda.gov/cnpp /KidsPyra