09/04/2026
Lindsay Malone, assistant professor at the CWRU School of Medicine, said she advises parents to skip heavily marketed “healthy” packaged snacks, which often contain lots of sugar, refined grains, and oils. She recommended simple, affordable ingredients such as fruits and vegetables, homemade snacks, and involving children in lunch preparation to encourage healthier choices. Read Malone's full contribution plus tips for packaging an affordable healthy lunch:
Remember when a school lunch used to cost $1.50? Not anymore, with many children's lunches now $7 per day. A nutrition expert shows ways to eat healthy for less.