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Healthy Lunchbox Ideas For Children |
Unfortunately children cannot function on a diet of chips, biscuits, sweets, fizzy cooldrinks and white bread. I'm always absolutely amazed when my Grade 1 daughter recounts what her friends have in their lunch boxes - nik naks, sweets, biscuits etc. Sadly these children are already on the large side and that kind of lunch only makes matters worse.
Encourage kids to try health alternatives and each time they do, give them a star or sticker and once they've collected enough reward them with a non-food treat.
It's vitally important that children get into the good habit of drinking water. During the hot summer months, freeze a bottle of water and offer it as an alternative to juices and flavoured drinks and save the milkshakes and fizzy drinks as a Friday or weekend treat.
Try to add at least two pieces of fresh fruit, we have such a wonderful selection all year round, if you run out of ideas occasionally allow dried fruit but remember it's very kilojoule dense so don't make it a regular item.
As even wholewheat bread floods the body with sugar, try the occasional health or rye bread, rice or corn cakes and wholemeal biscuits.
Some ideas for bread fillings are -
- Mince with lentils
- Powdered biltong with mashed avocado
- Grilled lean bacon with avocado or mashed pie apples
- Peanut butter with raw honey
- Cheese & tomato
- Cheese & lettuce
- Bovril or marmite with cheese
- Meatballs with tomato sauce
- Chicken & gherkins
- Boiled eggs with tomato sauce
- Hummus
- Cottage cheese with lettuce
- Cold meat with lettuce (if you don't mind all the preservatives).
You could also try finger foods such as air popped popcorn drizzled with a little melted butter and some salt sparingly added, nuts, seeds, wholewheat pretzels, biltong chunks, baby tomatos with cubed cheese, diced carrot & cucumber sticks with cottage cheese dip or hummus. You can also offer plain yoghurt with some chopped apple coated in cinnamon or with a small amount of honey or a handful of raisins. I must admit, I'm quite fanatical and wash my children's dried fruit in warm water to try and remove some of the preservatives.
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