That may be surprising when thinking about the offerings of your cafeteria growing up (we remember eating mozzarella sticks and cheesesteaks at our school, for example). But things have changed!
The two reasons why school lunches are healthier:
1.) The new federal guidelines outlined in the National School Lunch Program has considerably increased the healthy offerings at many school cafeterias
2.) Many convenient, easy-to-pack lunchbox favorites don't meet health guidelines (one study found that about 90 percent of lunches from home contained desserts, snack chips, and sweetened beverages)
Image via the USDA
But, what if your kiddos won't eat the veggies you pack in their lunchbox? A tip from Karen Cullen, professor of pediatrics and nutrition at Baylor College of Medicine:
Parents can "learn more about preparing healthy lunches (www.choosemyplate.gov is a good place to start), take their children shopping, let them to pick out vegetables and fruits to try and help prepare them at home."
Read the full article here, via the New York Times.