Top tips for the school lunchbox!
1 Make sure there's always room to keep the lunchbox chilled with an ice brick. This will keep food fresh and crisp, ready to eat at lunchtime!
2 A healthy, tasty lunchbox will not magically appear in the fridge come Monday morning. Get organised with the kids (Sunday afternoon) and write a list of what they would like to make for their lunchboxes for the coming week. Then take them shopping encouraging healthy fresh choices. It's a great idea to give your kids their own small hand basket for them to fi ll with fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds and healthy snacks.
3 Encourage your children to spend time in the kitchen (Sunday afternoon) preparing and packing their lunchbox. Have some fun making homemade muesli bars and healthy snacks. This will reduce the Monday morning madness and it also helps the kids with their time management life skills.
4 Avoid the 'packet lunchbox'. Filling a child's lunchbox with processed and packaged food is devoid of nutrients. Growing bodies and busy minds need real whole food that is fresh from nature and nutrient dense. Children who are fed a wholesome diet from a young age are more inclined to make healthy choices as they grow into adulthood. And you will also be saving the environment, and kids love that!
5 Make lunch interesting! We all love variety, even the kids. By giving them a selection of smaller options they are more likely to eat a healthy range of food options and a wider variety of essential food groups!
6 Make a little extra at dinner time! By making a little extra at dinner time, you can immediately pack the leftovers into small containers for the lunchbox. Ideal leftovers include things like brown fried rice, wholemeal pasta salad, mini quiches and mini meat/chicken balls!
7 Don't forget to include cold water in the lunchbox. Children do not need sugary juices and sports drinks. Ice cold water is the best option to hydrate busy bodies and best of all, water will quench the thirst without increasing calories. Freezing fruit like orange segments and grapes is also a great way to keep hydrated! 8 Children need guidance to make good choices. Introduce a star system to inspire healthy options, get them to participate in the shopping and preparation, but most of all be consistent and confident that the healthy choices you make today will help your children grow into happy, healthy adults.
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