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Today's Extra section contains a story about packing more nutrition into your school-age child's lunches. The story came with so much great information that we couldn't fit it all into the print version of the paper. So here are a few bonus recipes to help boost the amount of Folate, Magnesium and Vitamin E in your little one's diet.

FOLATE

Why kids need it: Folate plays a vital role in cell division and red blood cell formation.

Why they may lack it: If his or her "greens" consumption consists only of green M & M candies or if blood work reveals anemia.

Recommended daily intake: 200 micrograms for kids ages 4-8; 300 micrograms, ages 9-13; and 400 micrograms, ages 14-18.

Sources: Spinach (250 micrograms per cup boiled spinach); romaine lettuce (150 micrograms per cup) and cooked lentils (350 micrograms per cup).

Our lunchbox suggestion: Folate-rich Not Exactly Your Mama’s Meatloaf makes a great cold meatloaf sandwich. that adds 141 milligrams magnesiumI thought we were going for folate here? or 35 percent of the Daily Value to your child’s diet.

Place slices of the meatloaf on your child’s favorite bread and include preferred fixings including tomato, lettuce, cheese and ketchup packed separately to be added at the last minute. All should be kept cold. Also pack a piece of fresh fruit and flavored sparkling water.

Not Exactly Your Mama’s Meatloaf

1 pound lean ground beef

Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

1 egg

2 Tbsp. milk

2 Tbsp. ketchup

1 (15-ounce) can lentils, drained well

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Crumble beef, season with salt and pepper, and place in a large mixing bowl.

In a smaller bowl, combine egg, milk and ketchup, whisking well.

Add egg mixture to meat mixture and combine mix well (your clean hands work well here.). Add the lentils, chopped onions and bread crumbs, mixing thoroughly.

Place mixture in nonstick loaf pan and top with tomato sauce, spreading evenly. Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

Per serving: 244 calories, 71 percent calories from fat, 8 grams total fat, 3 grams saturated fat, 78 milligrams cholesterol, 21 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams total fiber, 4 grams total sugars, 15 grams net carbs, 22 grams protein, 235 milligrams sodium.

MAGNESIUM

Why kids need it: Magnesium plays an important role in the production and transportation of energy and the contraction/relaxation of muscles.

Why they may lack it: If he or she avoids green vegetables, nuts, fish and other magnesium-rich fare.

Recommended daily intake: 130 milligrams for kids ages 4-8; 240 milligrams, ages 9-13; 360 milligrams for girls ages 14-18; and 420 milligrams for boys ages 14-18.

Sources: Spinach (150 milligrams per cup cooked spinach); almonds (80 milligrams per ounce); raw pumpkin seeds (180 milligrams per 1/4 cup) and halibut (120 milligrams per 4 ounces).

Our lunchbox suggestion: Add a serving of this heavy-on-magnesium Energy Boosting Trail Mix to any lunch and you add 62 milligrams magnesium or 15.5 percent of the Daily Value. We recommend you include it in a lunchbox with a roast turkey sandwich, an apple and a sport-top bottle of water.

Energy-Boosting Trail Mix

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup unsalted almonds

1/4 cup unsalted cashews

1/4 cup unsalted peanuts

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup sweetened banana or plantain chips

Mix all ingredients. Divide among four snack-size, reusable storage containers. Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 287 calories, 182 percent calories from fat, 20 grams total fat, 6 grams saturated fat, no cholesterol, 21 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams total fiber, 12 grams total sugars, 18 grams net carbs, 8 grams protein, 7 milligrams sodium.

Vitamin E

Why kids need it: Vitamin E is an antioxidant that may protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals.

Why they may lack it: If he or she eats a very low-fat diet due to weight concerns.

Recommended daily intake: 7 milligrams for kids ages 4-8; 11 milligrams, ages 8-13, and 15 milligrams, ages 14-18.

Sources: Sunflower seeds (6 milligrams per ounce), peanut butter (3 milligrams per 2 tablespoons) and almonds (7 milligrams per ounce).

Our lunchbox suggestion: This E-xcellent Sandwich will help your child fulfill his or her dietary needs for vitamin E by adding 5.4 milligrams vitamin E (8 I.U.) or 27 percent of the Daily Value. Pack it with a banana and water flavored with fresh lemon. This is a great way to get vitamin E without getting a lot of fat.

E-xcellent Sandwich

1 Tbsp. unsalted, shelled sunflower seeds

1 Tbsp. honey

1 Tbsp. all-natural peanut butter

2 slices whole-grain bread

1 Tbsp. thin-sliced mango, blotted dry

1 Tbsp. mango preserves

1 Tbsp. wheat germ

Mix sunflower seeds, honey and peanut butter. Spread peanut butter mixture on one side of a slice of bread. Top with mango slices. Mix preserves and wheat germ and spread on one side of second bread slice. Place second slice of bread, preserve side down, atop first slice. Makes 1 sandwich.

Per sandwich: 427 calories, 32 percent calories from fat, 15 grams total fat, 3 grams saturated fat, no cholesterol, 63 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams total fiber, 32 grams total sugars, 55 grams net carbs, 15 grams protein, 302 milligrams sodium.

Source: McClatchy-Tribune.