By Shirin Yadegar
Shirin YadegarLet’s kick off the school year with healthy snacks and lunches. As parents, we have complete control over what our kids eat throughout the day unless they are trading with their friends. We pack their lunches and snacks and if they are independently packing their lunches then make sure their options are healthy.

Use fruits and vegetables as snacks. Kids love fruit. Make a fruit salad for snack or send their favorite whole fruit if you don’t have time to prepare a fruit salad. Include one vitamin C–rich fruit, like orange, grapefruit, strawberries, melon, tomato, and broccoli.

Serve salads more often. Teach your child what an appropriate amount of salad dressing is put it on the side so they can drizzle it on.

If you are going to send pasta try adding vegetables instead of meat.

Include one green leafy or yellow vegetable for vitamin A such as spinach, broccoli, winter squash, greens, or carrots.

Fruits and vegetables are full of nutrients and fiber which our kids need for healthy growth. I know it’s impossible to eat clean all the time, but during school hours it’s really simple.

They will eat what you pack, so pack healthy.

Visit our youtube page on how to prepare easy school snacks and lunches.

Shirin Yadegar lives in Los Angeles with her husband and four daughters. She is the creator of http://www.lamommagazine.com