Busy, active kids need a nutritious lunch box to boost their energy levels and help them concentrate and learn throughout the whole day. The foods we send to school contribute up to 1/3 of our kids daily intake, so it’s important a balanced lunch is packed to ensure they’re getting the required nutrients.
OUR TOP 5 LUNCHBOX TIPS:
- Keep “occasional” foods such processed muesli bars, sweet biscuits, flavored popcorn, savoury biscuits and chips out of the lunch box- (I know they are convenient but they offer little healthy nutrients)
- Prepare lunches that provide nutrients from all five food groups
- Use avocado for a spread instead of butter, margarine or mayonnaise
- Always include fresh fruit and vegetables and rotate these to keep the lunch box interesting. The more colourful the better.
- Add in a chilled water bottle and eliminate any sugary drinks/juices. No fruit boxes.
RECIPE VARIATIONS
Lunches:
Pasta spirals– Cook wholegrain pasta spirals, add peas, corn, tuna, red capsicum pieces, sliced olives and cherry tomatoes, grated cheese.
Salad turkey wrap- Multigrain warp with avocado spread, sliced turkey, cheese, sliced carrot, sliced tomato, sliced cucumber
Lentil patty wrap- served in a wholegrain wrap with cherry tomatoes, tzatziki, grated carrot and cheese.
Rice paper rolls- Tuna, diced chicken or chopped up boiled eggs mixed with pesto, grated carrot, grated cucumber and grated cheese.
Snacks:
Fruit skewers– slice banana, strawberries, rockmelon and watermelon and alternate pieces into a wooden skewer
Veggie sticks with dip– Slice carrot, cucumber and red capsicum length ways, served with a dollop of hummus
Whole fruit- Mandarin, kiwi fruit, strawberries, apple, pear, peach
Cheese- cheese wheels, diced cheese or cottage cheese with crackers
Yoghurt- Calcium enriched soy yoghurt, natural yoghurt and coconut yoghurt
Tofu bites- Bite sized tofu pieces baked with Parmesan cheese
TOP TIPS FOR ADDING FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
- Freeze fruits in the summer or for sport days. Simply pop chopped frozen fruit into an airtight container.
- If including whole fruit in the lunchbox, select fruit that is a suitable size for a child to easily hold in their hand and eat (this is particularly important for younger children)
- If you’re adding tomato to sandwiches, place the tomato between fillings and not directly onto the bread/wraps. This prevents sogginess.
- When using avocado or cut up apple, drizzle with a little lemon or lime juice to prevent discolouring.
- Add leftover roast pumpkin or sweet potato to sandwiches and wrap fillings. Naturally sweet and loaded with beneficial antioxidants.
- Use a vegetable peeler to slice cucumber into thin ribbons for sandwich fillings.
