Back-to-school lunchboxes get a <a href="https://healthylife7.com/healthy-aging-month-webinar-series-offered-in-september/” title=”Healthy Aging Month webinar series offered in September”>healthy makeover with kid-friendly tips from Dr. Martinez
byKylon Williams | Beth Hunt | Isley Gooden
Mon, August 17, 2026 at 5:55 PM
UpdatedMon, August 17, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Back-to-school season is here, and along with new teachers and fresh notebooks comes a familiar daily puzzle for parents: what to pack for lunch that kids will actually eat. (PHOTO: Getty Images)
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) —Back-to-school season is here, and along with new teachers and fresh notebooks comes a familiar daily puzzle for parents: what to pack for lunch that kids will actually eat
Dr. Audrey Martinez, research manager at the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, says the goal is to keep lunches both healthy and fun, and it doesn’t have to mean reinventing the wheel every morning. One easy way to make lunch more exciting is to use cookie cutters to turn everyday foods into playful shapes. Cutting cucumber slices into stars or making hearts out of cheese can help get kids more interested in what’s in their lunchbox
Martinez also suggests trying theme days to add variety and make planning simpler. Ideas include “Try It Thursday,” when parents add something new to the lunchbox, or “Meatless Monday,” which could include something like a bean quesadilla
Variety matters, Martinez said, because it helps kids get a well-balanced diet with the nutrients they need, especially as they head back to school. Good nutrition can help kids “learn better,” support a healthy immune system during the season of “back to school bugs,” and even help kids who play sports “optimize their performance.”
A simple way to check for variety is to look for color on the plate, she said, adding “little pops of colors” with foods like baby carrots or broccoli. She also recommends aiming for three food groups at each meal. With five food groups total, trying to include all of them at once can feel overwhelming, but three is generally enough to build variety
For families who struggle with getting kids to eat vegetables, Martinez says it’s still worth packing them. Kids often need repeated exposure to fruits and vegetables “a variety of times and in many different ways.” Pairing veggies with a dip like ranch can help, and changing how vegetables are prepared can make a difference, too. A child who doesn’t like steamed Brussels sprouts might like them roasted, she said
And for rushed mornings, Martinez recommends prepping the night before. She says parents can keep it simple by using leftovers from dinner, portioning extra servings into containers to send the next day
When it comes to drinks, Martinez says water is a great option, and families can make it more appealing by using a reusable water bottle kids can decorate with stickers. Another idea is adding cut-up fruit to infuse water with flavor. Plain, low-fat milk is also a good choice, she said, and that can include soy milk depending on a family’s preferences. Martinez recommends limiting added sugars and trying to avoid drinks like soda, sweet tea and sports drinks
For more information about the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center and its studies, Martinez says families can find the center on Facebook and Instagram by searching “Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center.” The center also has information available through Arkansas Children’s website
