It could be your first time packing a lunch box, or for others, it might be a time of looking for new ideas. Chantal Ferguson, a dietician and fitness coach, shared a few ideas.
Planning a healthy lunch box is essential because some kids spend most of their day at school. Healthy lunches and snacks are crucial for active, growing children. It is important to offer healthy lunch box choices. Eating healthy foods helps children concentrate and learn. However, healthy eating changes are not easy to make. Try to set a good example with your own lunches. Encourage children to help choose and prepare their own lunch boxes.
Here are some pointers for a balanced and nutritious lunch box:
Starchy food
These are good sources of energy and provide good amounts of dietary fibre. Here are some examples of starchy foods and ideas on how you can include them in your child’s lunch box: Provitas, bread (whole wheat or brown bread – toast it, cut into strips, triangles or squares – make French toast strips or just your conventional sandwich, wraps, pita bread and pasta and homemade popcorn can be added as a snack).
Include protein and dairy
These will keep them fuller for longer. They also provide the building blocks for growth and repairing cells in the body. Dairy is a good source of protein and plays an essential role in building teeth and bones and maintaining bone health. – Boiled egg, yoghurt, cottage cheese on Provitas/sandwich, and can be used as a vegetable dip. Add cheese blocks, strips or wedges. Ham, chicken strips or beef strips. Lean biltong, nuts (good source of good fats as well).
Fruit and vegetables
These are good sources of fibre and provide many essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and plant sterols and stanols, which are vital for good health.
• any fruit (cut into cubes, make fruit skewers, fruit salad, fruit smoothie)
• dried fruit, keep the portions between 30 to 40g
Add any fresh or cooked vegetables:
• cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, mini corn, and add the cottage cheese dip
Go for water
Don’t forget to pack a water bottle on the warm summer days. Freeze a little water in the bottle and then fill up to keep the water cool. Hydration is essential for concentration.
Sweet drinks such as fruit juices, cordials, sports drinks, flavoured mineral waters, soft drinks and fizzy drinks are high in sugar and unnecessary. These drinks can increase the risk of tooth decay, cause sugar spikes and are filling, so they might replace healthier foods.
Keep sweets and chocolates only as treats, and do not include them in the lunch box daily.
Save time with lunch box prep: Amid hectic weekday schedules, lunch box prep is a great tool to help keep lunch boxes healthy. Although any lunch box prep requires planning, there is no one correct method.
Presentation is also vital: Cut fruit and vegetables into different shapes and sizes. Make kebabs. You can even cut sandwiches in different shapes with cute cutters you can buy.
Remember food safety. Pack lunch in a cooler bag with an ice pack to keep the food safe and fresh.
Ideas of how to pack a lunch:
1) Brown roll ham, tomato, and cucumber sandwich (with cottage cheese).
Baby carrots, banana, yoghurt, water
2) Wrap filled with veggies and chicken strips
Grapes and apple
Cherry tomatoes
Drinking yoghurt (not often), water
3) Bran muffin with cheese
Cucumber sticks and mini corn
Pawpaw and watermelon
Yoghurt
Water
4) Brown bread sandwich with chicken
Nuts (30-40g)
Apple
Cherry tomatoes and cucumber slices or sugar snap peas
Yoghurt
Water.
For more ideas, join Ferguson at RVLTN, Voortrekker Street, Heidelberg, on January 27, on healthy lunch boxes, tips, guidelines and ideas.
RSVP by January 26.
Call Ferguson on 071 365 0564 for more information.
