WATERLOO REGION

Back to school means back-to-school lunches. And lunches, if they're going to be healthy, take some planning.

For most public elementary school students this will be the third year they've had two nutrition breaks, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Nutrition breaks are 40 minutes long, generally with the first 20 minutes for eating and the rest for playing.

Some love the system and others hate it, but registered dietician Heather Wilson says from a health point of view, it works just fine.

"It's important to eat frequently throughout the day," said Wilson, who works for Region of Waterloo Public Health.

According to studies conducted elsewhere in the province, where 24 of 72 schools boards use a "balanced" school day at some or all their schools, the results have been generally positive, Wilson said.

"Some schools and parents say the changes mean less food is going home uneaten and children aren't going home as hungry."

But for parents whose children are just starting Grade 1, or for whom the schedule hasn't worked out well so far, planning for two nutrition breaks can be challenging.

Often a challenge is making sure the child knows what to eat when. Wilson suggests packing two labelled lunch bags, or putting a divider in one lunch bag. A few lunch bags come with two compartments -- a pair of London, Ont., women designed one available at Scholar's Choice stores.

Two nutrition breaks doesn't mean packing two lunches.

Depending on the child's preferences, one break could be a healthy snack and the other a lunch, each break could be a half-lunch or the first break could be an add-on to breakfast and the second a light lunch.

Whatever the choice, it's best to stay consistent, Wilson said.

She doesn't recommend using the first break instead of breakfast -- children should eat before they go to school -- but if the child refuses to eat breakfast, the nutrition break could be a way of making sure he or she gets some fuel in the morning.

Children in Catholic schools still have a traditional lunch hour, with two recess breaks. Kids are allowed to snack at recess and some teachers allow children to munch discreetly during class time, said Catholic board spokesperson John Shewchuk.

Schools encourage kids to bring snacks that don't come in a wrapper, to help keep grounds clean, Shewchuk said. They also encourage healthy foods.

"Hungry kids are difficult to teach, and . . . kids hopped up on sugar are difficult to teach."

kkawawada@therecord.com

LUNCH IDEAS

School lunches, whether for balanced or traditional days, should include foods from at least three of the four food groups, said registered dietitian Heather Wilson.

Dairy and alternatives should be lower-fat, such as milk that's two per cent or less, or lighter cheeses with 20 per cent or less. Milk pudding without much added sugar and fortified soy milk are also good ideas.

Meat and alternatives could include lean meats, eggs, fish, hummus, black bean dip or roasted soy nuts.

Grain products could include whole-grain bread, crackers, cereal, brown rice or whole-wheat pasta. The Canada Food Guide recommends half the grain products consumed in a day be whole-grain -- read the label.

It's important to watch portion size. The food guide contains guidelines. For instance, children aged four to eight should get four servings of grains a day. With half a bagel or half a pita equalling one serving, a child who eats two bagels in a day doesn't need any other grains.

Healthy beverages are important. "Water really is the best drink," said Wilson, who recommends tap water in a reusable container.

Milk and fortified soy beverages are good, even if they're flavoured, but rice milk is low in protein so not a good choice. Juices should be 100 per cent pure, unsweetened, and limited to one a day because natural or not, they contain a lot of sugars.

Pop is a particularly bad idea. "One can of pop has nine to 12 teaspoons of sugar. It's ridiculous. So can the pop."

Other bad ideas include Jell-O, which is high in sugar; dry instant soups, which are loaded with salt; fruit rollups and leathers, which stick to teeth and contain little fruit; and potato chips and cheese puffs, which are high in salt and fat.

But kids can still have treats, Wilson said.

Ideas include homemade oatmeal cookies, fruit with the peel on, unsweetened apple sauce, fruit cups packed in juice instead of syrup, milk puddings low in fat and sugar, small muffins made with whole grains, fruit bars such as Fig Newtons, and dried fruit followed with crunchy vegetables or fruit to keep teeth healthy.

To keep food safe, keep hot food hot and cold food cold, Wilson said. To keep food hot, first pour boiling water into the thermos to warm it up, then pour it out and put in the food.

To keep food cold, use an insulated lunch bag and a cold pack or foods that can be frozen, such as beverage containers or yogurt.

SOURCE: REGION OF WATERLOO PUBLIC HEALTH. MORE SUGGESTIONS AVAILABLE AT WWW.DIETITIANS.CA/EATWELL -- CLICK ON "FACT SHEETS" AND SEARCH FOR "LUNCH", WWW.EATRIGHTONTARIO.CA -- SEARCH FOR "LUNCH."

BALANCED-DAY LUNCH IDEAS

Menu 1

Break one

Half a whole-wheat wrap with vegetables and hummus

Apple or fig bar

Milk

Break two

Other half of vegetable and hummus wrap

Fruit cup

Yogurt

Lunch

Homemade "lunchable" container packed with lean meat, lower-fat cheese, whole-wheat crackers

Carrot and celery sticks

Low-fat, low-sugar pudding cup

Water

Menu 2

Break one

Homemade oatmeal raisin muffin or banana bread

Baby carrots

Milk

Break two

Sliced turkey on whole-grain bread or bagel

Unsweetened fruit juice

Milk pudding cup

Lunch

Homemade vegetable soup

Whole-wheat roll

Fruit cup packed in juice

Milk

Menu 3

Break one

Whole-grain cereal in container with lid and spoon

Milk

Banana

Handful of seeds or trail mix

Break two

Whole-wheat pita with salsa and cheese or chick peas

Milk

Cucumber slices

Pear

Traditional day

Lunch

Cheese and vegetable pizza on whole-wheat crust

Vegetables and low-fat dip

Yogurt

Fortified soy milk

Recess snack ideas

Cheese cubes and apple slices or grapes

Trail mix made with whole-grain cereal

Vegetable sticks with low-fat dip

Half a whole-wheat pita cut in triangles, with hummus

Roasted soy nuts and unsweetened apple sauce cup

Fruit chunks and yogurt