What Makes a Good Packed Lunch for Your Child?
Simply it is just about balance. Now that your child is at school, their nutritional demands are as great, or even greater, than they were when they were a toddler.
They are coping with the new environment and their brains are working harder than ever. They are burning up energy in the playground with their friends.
Their stomach, however, is still not as large as an adults and, if filled with fizzy drinks and sugary snacks, there will not be enough room for the nutritious foods that they need.
Lunch Box Tips
How about putting some of these into your child's lunchbox?
- Apple
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Carrots
- Scones
- Scotch pancakes
- Apple cake
- Fruit yoghurt
- Cookies or flapjacks
- Breadsticks
- Banana
- Satsumas
- Raisins
- Carrot cake
- Fruit cake
- Melon
- Pitta bread
- Bagels
- Twiglets
!Stop and think before you pack these items!
- Pies and pastries
- Sausage rolls
- Crisps
- Biscuits
- Chocolate bars
- Fizzy drinks
Try to include some fruit
The Government recommends five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
Make sure food is quick and easy to eat as children want to get out to play.
Try using wholemeal bread, pitta bread, bagels or rolls for variety.
Help protect their teeth by encouraging your child to enjoy water.
Tasty and Healthy Lunchbox Suggestions
Monday
Small portion of tuna and sweetcorn salad
Currant bun
Apple
Bottle of flavoured milk
Tuesday
3 mini pitta breads filled with chicken salad and low fat mayonnaise
Pack of 3 small chocolate coated sponge cakes
Satsuma
Bottle flavoured water
Wednesday
Small slice of deep pan pizza with hamp and pineapple
4 cherry tomatoes
Low fat yoghurt
Pear
Bottle fizzy water
Thursday
Bagel with two cheese triangles and a sliced tomato
Mini can of fruit pieces in juice
Mini bag of carrots or 6 small sticks of carrot
Carton of unsweetened fruit juice
Friday
Chicken or turkey mayonnaise bagel
Cereal bar
Peach
Yoghurt drink
Good sandwich fillings
- Honey and banana
- Reduced fat cream cheese and cucumber
- Marmite
- Hard boiled egg with a little low fat mayonnaise
- Tuna with low fat mayonnaise
- Chicken or ham with salad
- Sliced turkey
Many children take a packed lunch to school every day and this can become less of a chore in the morning with some forward planning.
Cheese sandwiches might be easy for you to prepare in the few minutes that you have in the morning, but stop and think. Is it the sort of meal you want for lunch for five days a week?
Another tip
Involve your child. Stick a checklist on the fridge with five food groups on it (carbohydrate/fruit/vegetables/ dairy/protein/drink) and help them to choose a portion of food for each one.
If brown bread is not popular, make sandwiches with one slice of white and one of brown.
Finally, have fun and don't make food an issue. The odd treat will not hurt. It is unrealistic of you to expect fresh fruit to fill the gap every time. Follow these tips and you will be helping your child maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Good luck
Love
Laura (Home School Support Worker)