New York, NY (PRWEB) August 21, 2013
With the start of the school year around the corner, now is the perfect time for parents to ramp up efforts at infusing their kids lunches with creative, healthy options. You dont have to completely cut back on snacks and sugars to ensure that your child eats a well-balanced meal, explains Dr. Joel Lavine, chief of pediatric gastroenterology at NewYork-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital. Kids can still get the sugars they crave from low-fat snacks and fruits, while parents are satisfied with the nutritional content.
In addition to finding healthy food choices, some parents face the challenge of providing meals for their children with digestive conditions such as Crohns disease or irritable bowel syndrome. Try to avoid sending trigger foods, explains Dr. Aliza B. Solomon, a pediatric gastroenterologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Komansky Center for Childrens Health. For someone with active Crohn’s disease, this might mean avoiding high fiber food or fresh fruit. Children with irritable bowel should avoid foods with polyols, such as sorbitol and xylitol, often found in sugar-free gum, which can lead to bloating.
Nutritionists at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital offer more tips on making your kids lunches healthier:
