North Texas’s dip destination shares school lunch hacks

DALLAS (KDAF) — Studies show that the content of school lunches really does affect the health and nutrition of school children and parents are looking for ways to streamline to packing process while keeping the kids happy and full while their minds and bodies are growing throughput the school day. The dip-masters at North Texas-based ¡Yo Quiero! share some hacks to help get the school year started off on a good foot.

Know the rules:

Today 4-8% of children have food allergies, and 1-2% of these are peanut allergies. This means, on average, there are at least 5 kids with peanut allergies in every school building in the U.S. Many schools have rules on what can and cannot be brought into the school based on allergies. Look for easy packaged goods that are nut and allergy free. Ready-to-eat servings of hard-boiled eggs, Hass avocados, and spices in mini cups are a great way to get the protein in while being allergy aware.

Snack Attack:

If you have a pantry or a snack drawer, organize non-refrigerated lunchbox extras into small bins. Let the kids choose one item from each bin to complete their meal. This approach prevents morning disagreements, and you can easily restock the bins as needed.

Just Freeze it:

Store your lunch beverages in the freezer, then pack them ice-cold in the lunchbox. They’ll thaw by lunchtime while also serving as ice packs to keep the rest of the lunch cool.

In addition to beverages, you can freeze other lunchbox items to help keep everything chilled and ready to eat by noon. Consider freezing single-serve containers of applesauce, fruit cups, or squeezable yogurt tubes.

No crushing:

Crushed chips can be disappointing to kids, but there’s an easy fix. Place chips in a small zipper-top bag and blow air into it before sealing. This creates a cushion of air that helps protect the chips from getting crushed. Additionally, buying larger bags of snacks and portioning them into your own single-serving bags can save you money.

Team Effort:

One effective way to get kids excited about their meals is by involving them in the process. The night before, have them write down what they’d like in their lunchboxes and, if possible, pack anything that can be prepared ahead of time. You can store the entire lunchbox in the fridge overnight.

For items that need to be assembled in the morning, such as a sandwich or wrap, gather all the ingredients in one spot in the fridge before bed. This way, there’s no time wasted searching for items during those busy school mornings.

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