CHICAGO – Do you worry that sending your child back to school will interfere with the continuance of a healthy diet? Relax. Sarah Gottlieb, registered dietitian for East Bank Club, can help you ensure your child maintains a healthy and well-balanced diet throughout the school year.  

Here Gottlieb offers healthy meal and snack suggestions that require little preparation and are designed to deliver energy and steer students away from poor food choices.

For elementary students age seven to ten, Gottlieb recommends:

Meal ideas

• Half a turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato and avocado spread on whole wheat bread, unsweetened applesauce with cinnamon and half a cup of low fat milk
• Half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread, carrot sticks, cut up cantaloupe and half a cup of low fat milk
• Mini whole grain bagel with tuna salad (tuna, low fat mayo, chopped celery, tomato and walnuts), apple slices and half a cup of low fat milk

Snack ideas

• Low fat yogurt with sliced strawberries
• Celery sticks filled with peanut butter and half a cup of low fat milk
• Low fat cottage cheese with fresh cut up pineapple and half a cup of low fat milk
• Whole grain crackers with low fat cheese slices and half a cup of low fat milk

For middle school students age 11 to 13, Gottlieb recommends:

Meal ideas

• Low fat cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread, side salad with lettuce, tomatoes and low fat ranch dressing, mandarin oranges and one cup of low fat milk
• Whole wheat bun with grilled chicken breast, lettuce, tomato and onion slices, fresh pear, celery sticks and one cup of low fat milk
• Whole wheat pita filled with lettuce, tomato, avocado and black beans, side of baby carrots and raisins and one cup of low fat milk

Snack ideas

• Edamame
• Carrot sticks with hummus
• Banana and mozzarella string cheese sticks
• Broccoli and cauliflower dipped in low fat ranch dressing

For high school students age 14 to 18, Gottlieb recommends:

Meal ideas

• Whole wheat tortilla with turkey slices, tomato, lettuce and avocado, fresh peach and one cup of low fat milk
• Whole wheat English muffin filled with egg salad, side of snap peas, grapes and one cup of low fat milk
• Salad with romaine lettuce, cucumber, tomato, feta cheese, walnuts, dried cranberries, diced chicken and low fat salad dressing, slice of wheat bread and one cup of low fat milk

Snack ideas       

• Banana with peanut butter
• Low fat yogurt mixed with granola and blackberries
• Zucchini and squash slices with bean dip
• Trail mix made with seeds (sunflower, pumpkin), unsalted nuts (almonds, pistachios, cashews, walnuts) and dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, apricots, apples)

For more information, to meet Sarah Gottlieb, RD, or to schedule an interview, contact Liz Underwood at 312-251-9913 or lunderwood@ksapr.com.

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East Bank Club, recognized nationally and internationally as the gold standard in health and fitness clubs, offers members more than 25 years of incomparable service, the most up-to-date fitness equipment and exercise programs and exceptional dining. Approximately 2,500 Chicagoans visit the Club each day to get – and stay – fit, enjoy fine dining and connect with friends, colleagues and other professionals.