It's hard to believe it's almost mid-August, which means school will be back in session within days. Gone are the lazy days in our home of waking at 9 with breakfast at 10 and lunch at 2. Soon my girls will be eating "lunch" at 10:30 with the rest of Cincinnati Public Schools. We are all ready for more regularity in our schedules.I've been proud to be asked to represent a few great brands this week that go well in your kids' lunch box. As a dietitian, I will represent brands that I would normally use and align with my philosophy. Is it healthy, tasty, minimally processed? Would I feed it to my family or recommend it to a client? I'm in. That said, this is a #sponsored post.One of these products is Smithfield Pork. Smithfield marinated fresh pork is convenient, versatile and healthy. It's an excellent source of protein to provide satiety for your kid's long day at school. It's also a good source of iron, a nutrient needed to help with focus and behavior. Smithfield takes the stress out of meal planning. Just pop it in the oven for 30 minutes with some new potatoes and serve with a vegetable and POOF. Dinner is done! I made pork tenderloin and cheddar sliders using golden rotisserie pork on whole wheat buns with honey mustard. You can find Smithfield at Walmart stores. More recipes and ideas here: https://www.smithfieldfoods.com/our-brandsI have also been a fan of KIND snacks for some time. KIND has grown from gluten-free nut-based bars to pressed fruit and breakfast cereal. KIND recently came out with KIND Kids chewy granola bars. These bars come in 3 flavors (honey oat, peanut butter chocolate chip and chocolate chip). In addition to being delicious, the bars contain 25% less sugar than the leading granola bar and 1/2 a serving of whole grains. Whole grains like oats, quinoa and sorghum are gluten-free and provide fiber to keep your son or daughter fuller throughout the day. KIND guarantees your child (or spouse) will love them. It they return in their lunch box, they'll refund your money! You'll need proof of purchase from a 6 or 10 pack box from now until 10-31-18. KIND snacks can be found at Kroger and Whole foods. More information can be found here: https://www.kindsnacks.com/ Here are some ideas for your child's lunch box:

1. String cheese and whole grain crackers, fruit and raw veggies. Finger foods are quick and nutritious, too.
2. Hummus, tomatoes and cucumbers rolled in a whole wheat tortilla with yogurt and fruit on the side.
3. Shredded pork BBQ on a whole wheat bun, apple slices and carrot sticks. You'll need a thermos for this one.
4. PB & J on whole wheat bread, celery sticks and grapes.
5. Leftover chili or soup, 2 Clementines and whole wheat crackers.
6. Greek yogurt, berries and 1/4 cup KIND granola.
7. Whole wheat noodles, turkey meatballs, pepper strips and cherries.

Here's to a happy, healthy school year!  This post is #sponsored #client #ad