These two picture lists have helped my kids learn to make healthier food choices. They can help yours too! Have your kids pick one item from each category of the lunch packing checklist. They will learn to identify and eat a variety of foods for a more balanced diet. The healthy snack ideas list reminds them about foods they like to eat that are healthier than other go-to snacks like chips and cookies.
Lunch Box Checklist
Seeing pictures of how foods are categorized as fruits, vegetables, proteins, etc, helps kids internalize how to group these food nutritionally.
Having your kids choose one from each category teaches them the importance of, and how to, balance their meals.
Showing all the foods in each category is great for idea generation. Just like adults, kids can get into ruts. The lunch box packing list reminds them of other choices that they can make or try, or reminds them of foods they like that they’ve forgotten about.
Because this list is editable, you can match it to what’s in your fridge, or what your kids like to eat.
Healthy Snack Ideas
Just like with the lunch box checklist, the list of healthy snack ideas is a great way to help kids break out of their rut and remember foods they like that are healthier than the chips and cookies they will gravitate towards.
You can customize this list to include all the healthy snacks you know your kids like, and a few others you think they might like if they try them.
Make a different list for each member of the family – even the adults!
Hang the lists on the fridge as a just-in-time reminder.