How to Pack a Lunch

Milk Although always a better choice than soda, whole milk is the largest source of saturated fat in children's diets. Healthier Choice: Fat-free or 1% milk.

Fruit Applesauce and fruit cups are kid favorites but can be drenched with calorie- and sugar-laden corn syrup. Healthier Choice: Whole fruit or homemade fruit salad is always the best choice. Or look for fruit snacks without added sugar.

Fruit Strips These chewy treats might seem like a healthy dessert, but they often contain more sugar than fruit. Healthier Choice: Read labels carefully to find strips that are all fruit, like Tropicana FruitWise.

Bread Children like white bread. Healthier Choice: Whole-grain bread. Make sure that whole wheat is the first ingredient. If the list starts with wheat or unbleached wheat flour, it's not whole-grain bread.

On the Side Chips offer the savory flavors that kids love, along with unnecessary fat. Try to keep them as a treat, not as part of everyday meals. Healthier Choice: A bag of dry cereal or fruits and vegetables cut into child-size bites. A yogurt-based dip can make carrots more appealing.

Sandwich Veggies The best intentions will fall short if kids leave their fruits and vegetables sitting on their plate. Healthier Choice: Incorporate lettuce, tomatoes and pepper strips in sandwich fillings. Alternatively, try adding shredded carrots, diced apples and raisins to tuna salad.

Fillings Lunch meats are highly processed and can be a hidden source of fat. Healthier Choice: Roast chicken, turkey or beef that you have cooked yourself. Water-packed canned tuna is also a good choice; low-mercury tuna is even better. If you buy cold cuts, choose lean ones.

 

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HANS MONDROW, East Germany's last communist prime minister, on the East German soldiers who ignored orders to shoot to kill those crossing into West Germany and made the decision to open the border on Nov. 9, 1989

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