It's Back to School time and that means parents have the task of planning and preparing portable lunches and snacks for kids to take to school. You want these foods to be nutritious, but also delicious so you know your children are getting the fuel they need to make it through the school day. 

Kids' tummies are small and trying to get them to eat a nutritious meal in twenty minutes can be challenging. So think of foods they can eat with fingers that look appealing and are fun to eat! 

Some of my favorites:

• Vegetable rice paper rolls filled with carrots, cucumber, peppers, spinach, chicken or tofu served with a satay peanut sauce.
• Cheese and pineapple and grape skewers / cocktail sticks
• Ham, cheese, cucumber and shredded lettuce wraps
• Boiled eggs
• Soup – served in a thermos
• Last night’s left overs – heated and packed in thermos
• Vegetable sticks and hummus or guacamole
• Trail mix – check it is unsweetened
• Apple sliced and layered with a mixed nut butter
• Plain Greek yogurt with a touch of vanilla or honey

Victoria Kucel is a Staff Nutritionist at Somerset Hills YMCA. To schedule an appointment, please contact her by email.

Learn more about Nutrition for Kids at the Y