Kids and the Zone Diet

[Anonymous]

We are about to "go Zone" at my house, and I wonder whether the DCUMs have good lunchbox and other meal suggestions for incorporating Zone for the kids. Just to be clear, we are not doing Zone to lose weight. We are doing it for health/performance reasons. I am certainly not putting my kids on a "diet" in the normal meaning of that word.

The exercise forum I belong to has some discussion about this, but some of the people there are militant paleo zone people (if it didn't exist in the paleolithic era, you can't eat it, so only whole milk, not skim, etc.). I thought this group might have a balanced view on this and some good ideas!

[Anonymous]

I would start with a lunchbox like the ones at this website: www.obentec.com because they have small internal boxes, like an American-style bento box. And then I would use one of the small boxes for the protein, using either leftovers from your dinner the night before, or some of those really easy and delicious proteins you can get at Trader Joe's like the thick sliced roasted turkey that has only a little salt and pepper in its preparation -- yum! (refrigerator section), or the cold poached wild caught pacific salmon -- also yum! (refrigerator section), or some defrosted shelled soybeans (freezer section). And then in the other small box I'd put almonds or walnuts or sunflower or pumpkin seeds. (Can find these fresh and reasonably priced at TJ's, too.) And in the two big boxes I'd put cut up veggies in one and a whole cooked grain in the other. Another healthy fat that's not on Sears' list but I think is great is that mayo made with grapeseed oil that you can get in the refrigerator section at Whole Foods or My Organic Market. Most people don't know that grapeseed oil lowers serum cholesterol, and the mayo is scrumptious. You could also put nut butter on Akmak crackers.

Sounds so good, maybe I'll try this for myself!

Actually have to admit I looked up the Zone diet to refresh myself on the basics when I ready your post, and it turns out I've been pretty much doing this for my daughter all along (without realizing I was following someone's dietary approach -- I would just think to myself, let's see, I need a protein, a whole grain, some good fat, and lots of veggies -- you know, a balanced diet like what some of us grew up eating). I've been using one of these divided lunch boxes because I can pack healthier stuff (like dinner leftovers) and they are trash-free. And they come with a fork and spoon, if you need them.