BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — As you get ready to send your child back to school, one of the most important things to figure out is what they are going to eat for lunch.
On Second Cup, we got an idea from our cuppies about what snacks their kids enjoy!
Here are a few that our cuppies responded with:
1. Fruit
2. Yogurt
3. Vegetables
4. Popcorn
5. Chips
After Second Cup, I spoke with Wegmans Nutritionist Jenny Ferrentino about how these snacks sound for a kid's lunch.
"They all sound delicious," Ferrentino said. "As long as it’s something that the kid is going to want to eat. I think that’s the first part of it."
Another key tip Ferrentino gave was to make sure that your child has a balanced diet for their lunch, meaning a sweet or chips are just fine too. She stressed that you have to make sure your kid is enjoying the snacks.
She says the healthy snacks are always best since they can give your kids the most amount of energy and fuel for the school day.
"For our kids when they have a snack that’s really going to give them the fuel that they need, they’re going to stay energized hopefully stay awake better in school," Ferrentino said. "They’re really going to be able to learn better."
There is a general understanding of how beneficial healthy snacks can be for kids and all ages. However, these snacks can be expensive.
As of 2021, 10.2% of Americans are living under food insecurity. In Western New York, that number is even higher at 10.3%.
For children under 18, the average number of kids living under food insecurity raises to 12.5% in the United States. In Western New York, that number is also higher than the national average at 12.6%.
To help address this issue, FeedMore WNY is offering what's called a "Backpack Food Drive". Public Relations Manager Catherine Shick told me the drive will offer all essential healthy food items.
"We offer a variety of food options through these bags of food including protein whether that’s peanut butter, black beans, tuna fish. We also offer fruits and vegetables, shelf stable milk and a grain option," Shick said.
FeedMore is also offering a farm marketoperating as mobile food trucks. Each truck is selling fruits and vegetables for a lower price than big box grocery stores.
Two of the locations that the mobile trucks operate are D'Youville College every Thursday from 12PM-2PM and Westminster Charter School every Wednesday at 9AM.
You can learn more about the pantries and the food trucks here.
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