Five Healthy Lunchbox Choices for Back to School

Keep your heart healthy with omega-3 in tuna

There are good fats and bad fats, and Omega-3 falls in the category of good fats! Among the main benefits of Omega-3 are its ability to reduce blood pressure, triglycerides, plaque (which can harden your arteries), and prevent blood clots.

Luckily for you, tuna (and other fish) contains a rich abundance of omega-3 fatty acids. Make sure to incorporate these nutritional powerhouses in your lunchbox and meals! Our pouch tuna is a great option to pack in your lunchbox and eat on the go.

Get your protein fix with a serving of salmon

Salmon has many similar benefits to tuna, including being a great source of protein! You might be wondering - why choose fish over meat for protein?

While both contain enough protein to keep you full, the answer lies in the good fat vs. bad fat comparison we made earlier. Compared to red meat, fish contains less of the “bad fats” (saturated and trans fat) that can be harmful to your heart and more of the “good fats” (omega-3) that contributes to your overall health.

So toss in one of our easy-open cans of salmon fillet for a protein-packed lunchbox staple!

Crunch on some all natural coconut chips

If you love coconut, you’ll love coconut chips! Besides the delicious flavor (we’ve got four flavors, by the way) and satisfying crunch, there’s also some great health benefits from coconut.

It’s a rich source of dietary fiber, which keeps you feeling full for longer and stabilizes your blood sugar. As you might know, fiber is also important in helping you get to the #2 every day.

Coconut also contains medium-chain-fatty-acids (MCFAs), which are metabolized and converted to energy rather than being stored as fat. And you’ll definitely need this all-natural energy to keep you focused all day through school and work!

Stay hydrated with coconut water

Don’t get the benefits of coconut chips and coconut water mixed up! While the chips come from the meat of the coconut, the “water” comes from the juice that sits in the hollow core of the fruit.

Coconut water is a plentiful source of electrolytes, which will keep you from getting dehydrated after a hot day or an intense gym workout. You might recognize electrolytes - they’re a big component of sports drinks like Gatorade. With coconut water, you get the same benefits but from an all-natural, delicious source.

So keep a few cans in your fridge and throw them into your backpack or lunchbox for a nice cool, hydrating drink you can enjoy anywhere!

Fight off the bad stuff with antioxidants from black garlic

You probably know garlic, but have you heard of black garlic? Black garlic originated in Asia, and it’s now a rising food trend here in the U.S. It’s created through a natural curing process, giving it a sweet and slightly tangy flavor. No need to worry about garlic breath with these guys - the sharp garlic taste you know is reduced to a mild hint here.

Black garlic is known for its immense health benefits. It's rich in antioxidants (almost twice that of white garlic), amino acids, and S-ally cysteine, a natural compound that is widely believed to be a factor in cancer prevention.

Polar’s Black Garlic comes in single bulbs with an easy peel skin, so it makes for an easy snack at any time of day! If you’re a cook-your-lunch-the-night-before type of person, you can easily incorporate these tasty nuggets into your meal prep. Slice them and add to your sandwich or salad as toppings, or try crushing them into a paste to use for steak rub or barbecue sauce.