Back to school month

August is Back to School month, the time of year when students return to the classroom for a new year of growing and learning. Here are some tips to make this year the healthiest one yet!

Packing healthy lunches can be a challenge, because of picky eaters, time constraints (planning and packing), cost, and food safety. Here are a few resources to help with packing healthy lunches.

University of Nebraska - Lincoln Extension has put together a newsletter with tips for healthy packed lunches for school. Remember to shop smart and try new ideas in packed lunches.

The eXtension website also has information on packing a healthy lunch. Involve children in the planning and packing and they are more likely to enjoy their lunch options.

Missouri Families has 24 tips for packing a healthy, affordable lunch. Include as many of the five food groups and remember, you a role model for good nutrition.

Food safety can be an issue in packed lunches. Use these tips from Missouri Familes to keep lunches safe.

Need some new recipes to try? Some are appropriate for a healthy breakfast before school, some could be used in a healthy packed lunch, or some may be for dinner, but could be used as leftovers in a packed lunch. The Missouri Families website has a large list of various recipes to try.  Try the grilled zucchini panini, spinach and feta pasta, fresh apple coffeecake, and many more!

Don't forget snacks. Sometimes children eat an early lunch and may go up to 7 or 8 hours between lunch and dinner. An afternoon snack is essential for providing energy for play and brain power for homework. You can use some of the recipes above for snacks, or check out these fun snacks for kids of any age from Missouri Families.

Finally, Nutrition 411 has some overall back-to-school nutrition tips. Did you know you can use food labels to help teach kids basic math skills?