Healthy Lunches for Your ChompersFeb 15 2019

Lots of foods have key proteins, vitamins, and calcium that promote healthy teeth. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CD) tooth decay affects more than one-fourth of U.S. children ages 2-5 and half of those ages 12-15. School lunches are the battleground for oral health and there are things that you can pack for your kids that will please their taste buds and their dentist

Carrots, broccoli, sweet potato, and pumpkin are foods that are rich in Vitamin A that actually help form tooth enamel. Flossing their teeth after lunch to get any raw carrot pieces out is a built-in reminder for kids to floss! Peanut butter is a favorite among kids and on whole wheat, high fiber bread and jam that isn’t too sugary, it creates a balanced main dish for school lunches. For a more savory sandwich you can put beef, chicken, or turkey with an egg to combine protein and phosphorous in one fell swoop! With just these few ingredients the possibilities for delicious, healthy lunches are nearly endless.

Basically, packing healthy lunches is just a matter of swapping out the sugary, processed items that kids have been brainwashed by energetic commercials to expect. If your kid expects a starburst put in a fresh pear. If they ask for a jolly rancher put in a tube of naturally sweet frozen yogurt instead. Instead of acidic tomatoes substitute crunchy fruits and vegetables like apples, cucumbers, and celery that naturally contain a lot of water to clean out the mouth.

Most importantly, top off their lunch with a drink that will actually help them get through the day. Water, or fizzy water if they prefer it, is a drink that will hydrate them and wash out the mouth.  The last thing you want to do is give them sugary sodas to wash out their mouths.  Even juices can encourage the buildup of bacteria in their already-compromised oral environment.