With the start of school just around the corner, providing healthy lunches for your students is important.

Caitlin Mellendorf, a nutrition educator for the U of I Extension for Dewitt, Macon, and Piatt Counties, explains that federally funded schools have guidelines that must be followed, to ensure students have access to quality, nutrient-dense meals. She says vendors are also faced with the challenge of making them interesting and appealing to students. 

Additionally, schools receive funding specifically for lunches, allowing them to make them low-cost, or even free in some districts. This, in tandem with the guidelines for nutrition, can make school lunches a good option for parents who do not have time to make their students lunches. 

For parents and guardians who prefer to make lunches at home, Mellendorf notes the "My Plate" model and encourages packing nutrient-dense foods. It's important to keep the packaging in mind as well, make sure your child can open the foods given to them by practicing with them or giving them easy-to-open containers. 

Mellendorf also encourages soft foods for those short lunch periods that students have, so they can get all of their nutrients in the time allotted. You can find more about this at www.extension.illinois.edu.