How to pack a healthy school lunch that your kid will eat

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- 8News is your back-to-school headquarters for the 2025-26 school year. As Central Virginia kids return to school, here are a few tips for families on how to pack a healthy school lunch -- and how to help your student actually want to eat it.

How do I know which foods are healthy options?

It can be overwhelming trying to make healthy choices at the grocery store -- but experts say it's actually a lot simpler than you think.

"Oftentimes, we think of different superfoods or brain power or brain-boosting foods for our students," said Kimberly Baker, a licensed dietician who focuses on food safety at Clemson University. "A lot of times, it's just as simple as thinking about all of the different food groups and making sure that they have a good variety."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agrees, saying that a balanced school lunch includes grains, vegetables, milk, fruits and proteins. A lunch that includes all of these different food groups will ensure that your student gets a nice mix of healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.

Baker said that, when she looks at a nutrition label for a food item, the most important thing she's concerned with is the serving size.

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How much of that food item is considered one serving? Is it a substantial amount of food, or small in comparison to other choices? What nutritional value does that amount of food offer -- not just in calories, but in vitamins and minerals?

"Really look at that serving size," Baker said. "Is [it] comparable? And how does that look with the amount of fat, the amount of sugar that is added to that product and the amount of salt in that product?"

Things like sodium and added sugars are things your student should ideally get less of -- but what should they be eating more of, by contrast? According to Baker, families should absolutely be prioritizing one crucial nutrient: fiber.

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"Oftentimes, most children like juice more than they like the actual fruit itself, [but] what is missing when we compare those two [options] is the fiber," she said. "So, if we can, make sure that they're getting enough fiber in other places -- or balance out the amount of fiber that they're getting compared to the number of juices or other non-fiber-containing, fruit-flavored foods."

How do I help my student actually want to eat healthy foods?

However, this can be easier said than done, especially if your child isn't the most open to trying new things.

"We don't want to be putting a lot of food in their lunch that we know they may or may not eat," Baker said.

Families should ensure that at least three-fourths of their packed lunches consist of things they know their child will eat, as the most important thing is making sure your child is fed.

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When it comes to making healthy swaps, Baker has a few suggestions on how to help your kid adjust. First and foremost, getting your student involved in choosing the foods packed in their lunch can be a great help.

Then, introduce new foods, like a fruit or vegetable they're not familiar with, or a protein they're not quite used to -- one at a time, gradually.

"Just put [in] a small amount [of the new food,]" Baker said. "It doesn't have to be a lot, because a lot of times for our children -- and sometimes for us adults -- we have to be exposed to a certain item over 20 times before we're actually willing to give that a try."

The USDA offered a few more tips:

• Try these new foods at home with your children before sending them to school with them.
• Talk to your child about what you're packing each day.
• Visit your child's school for lunch one day, if possible. Share that time with them and get familiar with what's on the menu at school.
• Encourage your child to try new things at school during taste-testing events or surveys.

For more helpful advice from the USDA on school lunches, as well as some activities you can do with your family, click here.

Check out more of 8News' back-to-school coverage here.