VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – It’s back to packing lunches for thousands of parents on Tuesday.

One dietician has tips on keeping the kids healthy this school year.

Arlene Cristall with BC Children’s Hospital says the most important thing is to sit down with your kids and plan.

“They have to get together and there’s no point buying food, putting in healthy choices or not healthy choices if the kids don’t eat it and it’s a waste of money, time and effort so you have to have a plan,” she says.

Cristall adds this could begin with kids growing their own vegetables in the garden or patio planters, going grocery shopping with mom and dad, or helping prepare the lunches the night before.

She also advices that the one thing parents should avoid is buying fat free foods.

“Zero fat contributes nothing to our foods, and it’s usually heavily processed to create that zero fat food item,” she explains. “You’re looking at a double whammy of nothing to create any kind of fullness feeling and also no nutritional value and it’s pretty expensive.”

Instead, parents should choose 1 to 1.5 per cent foods as it is less processed and will keep kids feeling fuller longer.