Getting Enough Nutrition: 3 Simple High-Potassium Foods To Include In Your Child's Lunch

Did you know that 98% of Americans do not have enough potassium in their diet? Potassium is an essential ion that is needed to prevent fatigue, muscle cramps, and constipation. In short, it's an important nutrient your child needs in order to give it their best at school. Fortunately, ensuring that your child gets enough potassium is easy. You can easily include these 3 high-potassium foods in their lunch or give them lunch money to get these foods from the cafeteria at school.

Dried Apricots

Skip the junk food and pack a bag of dried apricots in your child's lunch. Dried apricots are not only sweet and delicious, but they also contain a lot more potassium than other fruits. You can eat them as is, or you can mix them in with some yogurt or in a salad. By eating this snack, your child can receive 1,162 mg of potassium from just 100 g of dried apricots. Dried apricots are not only rich in potassium, but also in other anti-oxidants that will keep your child healthy and active.

Baked Potatoes

If you want to include something a bit more filling, baked potatoes is the way to go. Baked potatoes taste delicious on their own, although you can also include some sour cream, hummus, or guacamole on the side to add more flavor. There is 900 mg of potassium in just one medium Russet potato. On top of that, Russet potatoes are also rich in vitamins, like vitamin C and B6. You can simply toss a potato in the oven while you are preparing breakfast for your child. It'll be cooked by the time you're heading out the door.

Plain, Salted Potato Chips

Those who are simply too busy can get away with purchasing potato chips for their child every once in awhile. Potato chips are also usually available in most school cafeterias for just several dollars. In 100 g of salted, plain potato chips there is approximately 1642 mg of potassium. Usually, most school cafeteria will have healthier alternatives, like unsalted potato chips or potato chips with reduced fat, for sale as well.

Check out your child's school cafeteria in order to know what is stocked and what is not. You can talk to a professional, like Servesmart, as well to talk about student nutrition. Try to pack high-potassium foods in your child's lunch every day. However, if you don't have time or simply forgot, knowing what's available in the cafeteria will give you a good idea of what to tell your child to buy that day in order to get enough potassium in their diet.