With the start of a new school year, parents and caregivers are looking for ways to provide nutritious meals that support children’s learning and growth. Dr. Dana Ellis Hunnes, a senior clinical dietitian at UCLA Health, shared insights on how to keep school lunches healthy and appealing.
Dr. Hunnes described her own experience with her 11-year-old son, who once grew tired of the lunches she packed for him. She now involves him in choosing what he wants to eat from a selection of nutritious items.
“For younger kids who may not be as self-sufficient, I do think it’s helpful to have a conversation with the child about what kind of foods do you like and want to eat,” Dr. Hunnes said.
She emphasized that a balanced diet with essential vitamins and minerals is important for students’ academic success. “It feeds the brain, which as children are growing and learning in school, that’s the most important organ,” she said. “By having healthy nutrition, we’re ensuring they’re primed and ready to concentrate, listen and pay attention in the classroom.”
Research indicates that students who attend school hungry or are food insecure often perform worse academically than their peers who have enough to eat. “There’s a lot of studies that do show that students who go to school without food in their stomach or are hungry or food insecure, definitely do not do as well in school,” Dr. Hunnes said.
Dr. Hunnes recommends breakfast for all students, even when mornings are busy: “I do think it’s important they’re not thinking about food or having hunger pangs.” For younger children especially, she advises against sending them to school without eating something first.
Quick breakfast options can include toasted bagels with peanut butter or hummus, sandwiches such as peanut butter and jelly, fruit, or nuts.
When packing lunches, Dr. Hunnes suggests using containers that are easy for children to open independently: “If you’re using something that’s really hard to open your kid is going to struggle with trying to get it open.”
A balanced lunch should contain protein sources like beans, tofu, peanut butter, turkey, chicken breast or lean fish; whole grain carbohydrates such as whole wheat bread or pasta; and fruits and vegetables including berries, grapes, mandarin oranges, tomatoes or carrot sticks.
Her sixth-grade son prefers plant-based options like avocado toast or sushi rolls made at home. To address food fatigue when kids tire of repeated meals—something her own son experienced—Dr. Hunnes recommends involving children in meal planning and occasionally packing leftovers from dinner.
Processed snacks can be included in moderation: “Kids are going to be kids whether they get it from you or buy it at the student store or they trade with friends – kids are going to eat it,” Dr. Hunnes said. She buys snacks like pretzel sticks and sometimes Takis for her son but portions them out carefully.
For those who purchase lunch at school cafeterias instead of bringing meals from home, Dr. Hunnes encourages parents to talk with their children about making healthy choices: “Please choose at least one fruit or vegetable and please pick a non-sweetened beverage,” she said.
Family dinners remain important despite busy schedules filled with homework and activities. Her family batch cooks on weekends so meals can be reheated during the week alongside fresh salads each night: “We have a whiteboard and write down what we’re eating so we don’t have to think about it every single day,” she explained.
According to Dr. Hunnes: “You know you’re nourishing your body and your kids with healthy nutrients they need for proper health and development to learn the next day in school and participate in their afterschool activities… Family dinners can help the social cohesion and dynamic of a family as well. It’s good for the nourishment of the mind and soul.”
UCLA Health offers both virtual and in-person appointments through its online booking system.
