I always know when summer is over and school is about to begin. The first tell tale signs occur when the gray hairs start popping up left and right on my head, eyebrows and probably my underarms if I let the hair grow long enough. I have a few extra wrinkles around my mouth from yelling to break up fights, I look mad even when I’m not and I search the malls endlessly for a black and white striped referee outfit just to look the part.

Surely Michael Kors will eventually design a sexy striped referee dress so moms across the country can at least look hot while we yell, scream and teach our children not to kill each other over the longs days of summer.

I also know when school is about to go back because I am inundated with emails from moms all over wondering how to pack healthy lunches that their kids will actually eat. The email header gives it away every time;”PLEASE HELP!!!” The body of the email begs for alternatives to Cheezits, Doritos, Lunchables, mini chocolate chip muffins, chips, and all the other conveniently sized packages of food that save moms and dads time in the morning but contribute to the ever growing epidemic of childhood obesity.

Two years ago, I spoke at a conference on obesity in Georgia. I will never forget the conversations I shared with pediatricians desperately seeking advice on how to provide parents with healthy meal planning advice without coming off condescending or placing blame on parents for their overweight children. The pediatricians were frustrated because they were treating overweight babies and overweight toddlers that were now suffering from Diabetes or leg deformities because of the excess weight on their patients’ small growing bones. Medical school did not provide the answers to these tough and sensitive issues.

You don’t need a medical degree or even one in nutrition to provide the answers so I offered up the best advice a working mother of two could muster. Believe me, I understand the hardships parents face getting their kids to eat healthy in a society consumed with fast food and convenience. Everything in my life comes in twos. I work two jobs, have two kids, two dogs and a second half that also works two jobs. We are busy parents, yet have found a way to make it work. So...the million dollar question is “How?”

Phase one of the plan consists of switching out every white flour product in the house with a whole grain alternative and lying through your teeth if you have little ones. Who cares how much they complain! You are the boss, you do the shopping and they rely on your food. I remember the first day my kids ate “brown bread”, as they called it. It was 100% whole wheat and they refused it for three days. I could have cared less. I told them the grocery stores don’t sell white bread anymore and this was the only bread coming home. They eventually caved and whole wheat bread is a staple in my school lunches. They never refuse it and they prefer its natural sweetness over white bread any day. You can also cut off the crusts and roll it out nice and thin with a rolling pin to make tiny rollups instead of spending the money buying tortillas. Kids find this “fun”, I find it works.

Next came switching cereals to whole grains. I started buying Multigrain Cheerios. Not only is it a great breakfast food, but I pack it in snack baggies for their lunches. They never complain. Every once in a while I will buy them a cereal of their choice as a “special treat”, but they now know cereal = Cheerios. Once again, you are the boss and you do the shopping. Unfortunately there were too many cereal commercials out there for me to lie and tell them they don’t make Captain Crunch with Crunchberries anymore. Darnit! Cereal replaces the chips portion of my children’s lunches and they don’t seem to mind one bit. I have to chuckle because my son’s best friends slept over on Saturday night. They packed their own cereal baggies of frosted flakes and fruity pebbles because they can’t stand my Cheerios rule. They call my food “cardboard” and that’s ok with me.

Every lunch also has a dairy. I buy snack size puddings or freeze yogurts so that by the time they get to school, it is an ice cold smoothie consistency. The four packs of puddings are always on sale at the grocery store for under a dollar, they are portable and don’t require refrigeration. Not to mention, this dairy also serves as a dessert because they come in a variety of flavors kids love.

String cheese is also handy as well because they are individually packaged and will hold up for a couple hours in their lunch box. You also have the option of sending your child in with thirty five cents for milk but I find my kids just add it to their piggy banks. They could probably pay my mortgage with the cash they’ve pilfered.

On to the fruits and vegetables. Initially, my kids tried like hell to convince me that fruit rollups were a fruit and potato chips were a vegetable. Once again, I refused to let them get their way because I do the shopping and I know deep down I am doing something good for them. I always pack at least two in their lunch box. When I grocery shop I ask them what they want for fruit so I know whatever I pack they picked it. Anything kids can dip is a plus too. Don’t waste your money on the individually packed products such as carrots and dressing. They cost a fortune and you can easily recreate them at home. Instead, buy your kids some small ¼ cup size Tupperware containers and put peanut butter or salad dressing in them. Then pack something healthy for them to dip. Apples work well, as do baby carrots or any other vegetable your child will eat. Be sure to write in permanent marker on the lid “Do not throw away…mom is recycling”. I get them back every time this way.

What about beverages? A year ago I stopped buying juice boxes and juice altogether. They are a waste of money, and I would much prefer my kids get their vitamins from an actual piece of fruit. Instead, my kids get a water bottle. This one was a hard one for them to get used to but tough luck. An eight pack of juice boxes can run anywhere from two to three dollars. I can buy a 24 pack of spring water for only a few dollars more and it is not loaded with sugar and artificial crap. They can also refill it throughout the day at school if they get thirsty. They have finally learned to live with it and juice is now a “special treat”.

Some people think I’m too hard on my kids. I think they’re nuts. When Evan and Aidan go for their annual physicals and their weights are healthy and they report boundless energy and are rarely sick, I feel proud and happy inside. My kids can tell you how much fiber is in an apple, they know peanut butter provides protein and can each read a food label. As parents, we can overeat if we want to. We can eat chocolate and junk. But our children rely on us for their food source each day. We owe it to our kids to raise them healthy and educate them.

Of course, there are situations beyond our control. My mom always tells me that if I get my kids very hungry, they will eat anything and she is right. My mom is also the one they go to when they want the sweet stuff. She is their “special treat” and she fills their mouths up as much as she can before she sends them home to mom’s house to eat cardboard. As a mom, I am fine with that too because I am realistic.

I control what goes into my kids’ mouths when I can and allow them the freedom to choose what they want when I can’t. Because let’s face it, no daughter stands a chance against grammy and her goody stash.