Thinking Outside the “Lunch Box”

Lyssa:    Welcome back to Good Day Kentucky. The back to school season has come and gone as kids, families, and teachers settled in for the school year ahead. But one problem still remains, lunchbox monotony. Joining us today with some easy, nutritious, and creative ham sandwich ideas to help shake up lunch time, is registered dietician Pat Bard. Welcome to the show Pat.

Pat Bard:              Thank you Lyssa, it’s so good to be with you.

Lyssa:                    We’re glad to have you. This is the biggest challenge for me, as a parent, is in the morning, I am pressed for time, I am constantly just trying to keep things as easy as possible and I’m hoping that they’re eating all the food that I pack, but who knows. I don’t know, I try to keep it healthy, try to keep it fun too.

Pat Bard:              Yes.

Lyssa:                    But what is the nutritional value of different meats, but especially ham compared to the other deli meats?

Pat Bard:              Yes.

Lyssa:                    Because that’s always a concern of all parents out there.

Pat Bard:              Well … That’s right. We’re looking at deli ham today, because it’s got great flavor. We did some kid friendly, kid tested recipes and, as a dietician, I look at nutrition first. A two ounce serving of ham contains 60 calories, 10 grams of fat, one to two grams of … I’m sorry. It has 60 calories, 10 grams of protein, one to two grams of fat. And it’s packed with vitamins and minerals. We have a number of different sandwiches here. Let me tell about a couple. The harvest ham sandwich has got a fall theme. Take some apple butter spread on bread, top it with Havarti cheese, sliced apples, and ham. Here you’ve got that half a serving of fruit with some fiber, calcium from the cheese.

Another one that kids are going to be sure to like are ham pinwheels. These are just fun to look at, and they’re nice finger foods. Spread a tortilla with some light cream cheese, top it with ham, lettuce, maybe a little mustard, roll it up, and cut it in four pieces.

Lyssa:                    Yum. I love it. Those are great ideas. Now, why is it so important for kids to be eating healthy, nutritious lunches? We try to keep it healthy in the morning as much as possible, and in the … for dinnertime, but what about lunches? Why is that so important?

Pat Bard:              Lunch is that real mid-break where they need calories to sustain their energy. They also need calories and nutrients for their brain to keep them function and thinking clearly. And not to be cranky and grouchy like we all get if we skip meals. Lunches, I would say, especially important for kids. And when they have some of their favorite ingredients, like a luau sandwich. Just take some pineapple and maybe a little bit of barbecue sauce on Hawaiian bread with ham. Team it up with fresh fruit, maybe popcorn. That’s a whole grain. And again, they get good balance and they get good nutrition.

Lyssa:                    Nice. Now, how can we start diversifying our lunch options?

Pat Bard:              Well, again, the different sizes and shapes of bread. Whether it’s using tortillas to make a pinwheel or pockets to add ingredients like vegetables and hummus and ham. Or to take a favorite ingredient like the pineapple in the luau ham sandwich. Cut up vegetables like carrots and celery into sticks that are easy to eat. Or berries that are kid friendly and packed with nutrients. All of these little tips can really encourage kids to finish their lunch.

Lyssa:                    Wonderful. And where can we go for more information, real quick, Pat?

Pat Bard:              Go to pork.org. Then look for deli ham and all six sandwiches are there.

Lyssa:                    Thank you so much, Pat. And you are watching Good Day Kentucky. Keep it right here.