The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the school day on its head for both students and parents. Many children across the country are learning remotely, while some are going back to the classroom in limited capacity or on a staggered schedule. Working parents are trying to juggle their own altered schedules while helping manage their child’s education. Amidst all this chaos, parents may find it hard to find time to think about preparing a healthy, balanced lunch for their remote learners.

Here are five tips to help save you time and make sure your child is getting the proper nutrition they need for growing minds.

Plan ahead

 When working from home, it’s challenging enough to come up with lunchtime ideas to keep yourself fed, nevermind feeding your virtual learners. To alleviate the stress of crunch time decisions, plan your lunches for the week ahead of time. And remember, the burden doesn’t have to be entirely on you. Enlist your child’s help in each step of the process, from coming up ideas to helping with meal prep. When coming up with ideas for the week, try to ask your child close-ended questions, such as “would you rather have chicken or turkey?” rather than “what would you like for lunch?” to avoid ummms and blank stares. Have your child help with rinsing fruits and veggies, tearing lettuce or chopping cheese cubes. Not only will this save you time and energy, but dieticians agree that when children are involved in the meal prep process, they learn valuable skills about eating healthy that will last a lifetime.

 Protein

Each snack or lunch time meal should include a protein, rather than being entirely carbohydrate based. Protein is essential for young learners; not only is it necessary for proper growth and development, but it will keep your children satisfied and help them to stay focused during long Zoom lessons. It is recommended that children consume 3-5 ounces of protein a day to stay healthy.

“Adding protein to your child’s lunch doesn’t have to be limited to just deli meats,” says Senior Medical Director Barbara Alexander, D.O.  “Hard boiled eggs, nuts, peanut butter and dairy products like cheese and yogurt are also excellent sources of protein for growing children.”

Snacks and sides

Compliment the protein on your child’s plates with healthy sides and snacks. By mixing two food groups, such as adding vegetables or carbohydrates. This will give your child’s lunch more “staying power,” providing essential energy and slowing digestion. Apple slices with peanut or almond butter, cubes of cheese, hummus with carrots or bell peppers, or soups and salads for older children are excellent companions for turkey sandwiches or chicken wraps.

Repurpose leftovers

 Making use of your leftovers doesn’t have to be as boring as reheating last night’s dinner in the microwave. Instead, think of your leftovers as ingredients. Leftover chicken can be shredded and mixed with BBQ sauce for sandwiches, create burritos with leftover cooked rice and meat, or spice up a grilled cheese sandwich with any leftover vegetables.

Make it interactive

 For a special treat, try a hands-on meal that you can make with your children with limited supervision. Build-your-own pizzas can be made with bagels, crescent roll dough or store bought crust and your child’s favorite healthy toppings. “Having a fun and hands-on lunch is a great way to take a break from the screen and be active while learning from home,” says Dr. Alexander. “Not only will your child enjoy the experience, but parents will be able to relax knowing their child is enjoying a meal that is good for growing minds and bodies.”