Packing your child’s lunch box is a great way to ensure they are getting a healthy, well-balanced meal. We know that good nutrition has a positive effect on the academic performance of students, which makes a nutritious lunch essential for their success in school. When building your child’s lunch box, be sure to include dairy products, like milk, yogurt and cheese — packed with protein, calcium and other essential vitamins and minerals.

Learn food bloggers Tips for Getting More Dairy in the Lunchbox:

Sarah’s Tip:

  • In colder months, my kids love cream-based soups and chowders in their packed lunches.
    • Pro tip: Add boiling water to the thermos and allow it to warm up for 5 minutes. Dump the water before adding the hot soup.

-A trained chef turned food blogger at SavoringTheGood.com, Sarah Mock

Christina’s Tip:

  • Keep yogurt and other perishables cold by packing a homemade ice pack.
    • Pro Tip: Wet a new kitchen sponge and wring most of the water out.  Put the sponge in a zipper bag and freeze it. Place the frozen sponge in the lunch box for an easy (and lighter!) homemade ice pack.

-Christina Hitchcock from It’s A Keeper blog

Heather’s Tip:

  • Lunch time is rushed for many kids, so be sure to include nutrient-rich foods that are kid-friendly and easy-to-eat in their lunch box.
    • Pro Tip: Topping a salad with shredded cheese, packing cheese and crackers, or including a yogurt cup are three easy and delicious ways to get kids eating nutritious foods quickly.

-Heather Mangieri, RDN, Nutrition Consultant and Author of Fueling Young Athletes From Heather Mangieri Nutrition

Colleen’s Tip:

  • Let your kids have a choice in what goes into their lunch box, that way they feel empowered and most likely will eat it since they were in charge.
  • Pro Tip: I like to lay out 3 choices when it comes to dairy. Sometimes they pick more than one, I call that winning in both taste & nutrition!

-Colleen Kennedy, mom of 2 kids and the woman behind the popular food blog Souffle Bombay

Natalie’s Tip:

  • I haven’t met a kid yet who doesn’t like to dip their food. I sneak in some extra vitamins and nutrients by using Greek yogurt as the base for all the sweet and savory dips I make for their lunches!
    • Pro Tip: Use herbs and spices, like turmeric or cinnamon, to your child’s Greek yogurt dip to give it a little extra flavor!

-Natalie Dixon from A Turtle’s Life for Me