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Weigh less, live longer

Try packing a lunch online

Healthful eating with the food pyramid

 

Feeding your family healthfully isn't always a piece of cake. But it's an achievable goal. Lunch is a good place to begin. A little prep work the night before will launch a lunch that will be the envy of the brown-bag crowd. A flashy tote will make a big difference too.

When packing family-friendly noontime meals, simple is swell. Make a habit of tossing in no-fuss fresh fruit. Here's why:

• Kiwi fruit has mega levels of vitamin C and eye-protecting lutein.
• Blueberries contain antioxidants that may enhance memory.
• Purple grapes and purple grape juice help maintain a healthy heart.

A natural substance in turkey induces a calm feeling, making it a soothing meal for women on the run. Start the night before by pouring hot broth over couscous. Stir in smoked cooked turkey, dried cranberries, toasted nuts, orange peel, and ground ginger. Refrigerate overnight. Squeeze a fresh orange over it all before eating.

Dads who put in long hours and drive home in the dark will appreciate the addition of carrots and spinach to a favorite sandwich. Carrots are loaded with vitamin A, which helps maintain night vision. Folate-rich spinach may lift harried spirits.

Test-taking teens might try tuna or salmon salad. For example, tuck tuna into mini taco shells for plenty of energy-producing protein, plus omega-3 fatty acids essential for peak brain function.

The small-fry set will have fun with this finger food. It's fiber friendly and has calcium-rich cheese -- a boon for bones. Wrap cheese sticks and pieces of apple and carrot in a slice of ham. Bundle it up in a lettuce leaf and dunk into yogurt.

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