We all want our kids
to live a healthy lifestyle, but how do you make sure they're eating and
drinking the right things at school? Jane Rylands, Head of Marketing
Communications at kitchen appliance manufacturer Belling, shares her top tips for
packing a healthy school lunch for your little ones.
As we continue to understand more about the links between
nutrition and long-term health, it's more important than ever to make sure your
little ones are getting a well-rounded and balanced diet. One way of being in
control of what they're eating throughout the day is to make a packed lunch for
them. In this article I'm going to share my tips to help you create healthy and
tasty packed lunches for your little ones.
Incorporate all food groups
The first step to creating the ultimate healthy packed lunch
is to understand how much of each food group should be incorporated, but in a
tasty and varied way. Below you will find the four main elements that make up a
healthy packed lunch and how much of each you should aim to include.
Fruit and
vegetables: Whether they're fresh, frozen, dried, or canned, fruit and veg
provide us with vital vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre, and many
phytonutrients that are needed for normal bodily function. Ideally, fruit and
veg should make up at least a third of your children's packed lunch.
Carbohydrates:
Wholegrain sandwich bread, tortillas, wraps, as well as potatoes, pasta, rice,
and noodles all contain carbohydrates, which provide slow release energy
throughout the day and help your children to feel full. You should aim to make
carbohydrates take up about a third of your children's packed lunch.
Dairy/dairy
alternatives: Ingredients such as milk, cheese, yogurt, or their vegan
alternatives, provide children with an excellent source of calcium, which is necessary
to ensure they have strong and healthy bones. Dairy should make up around a
sixth of your children's packed lunch, but it's generally a good idea to choose
low fat options where possible.
Protein:
Lean meats and fish, poultry, eggs, tofu, nuts, legumes, and beans all provide
plenty of protein, which is responsible for building, maintaining, and repairing
our bodies. Proteins should make up the final sixth of your children's packed lunch.
These rules aren't hard and fast, and you have a lot of
scope to mix things up on a daily basis. But bear these portion sizes in mind
and you'll be able to ensure your little ones are getting a fully balanced
diet.
Get your kids involved
It's all well and good understanding the importance of food
groups, but there's no point putting together something you think sounds nice
if your kids don't feel the same way. Get them involved in the process and give
them a range of healthy options to choose from each food group and let them
have the final say. By getting them invested in it, it's more likely they'll
actually eat everything they've been given.
Start by talking to your child about what nutritious foods they
like and then think of creative ways you can get them in a packed lunch. You
can empower them further by taking them shopping and decided what goes into the
cart (as long as it's healthy!). You could even create a lunch packing station
in your kitchen and spend some time there with your kids the night before to
get lunch ready for school the next day.
Encourage hydration
Once you've managed to get the food side of things sorted,
you need to follow through with healthy drinks. It’s recommended that
school-aged kids drink 6–8 cups of water a day. This is particularly important
in school, as even small levels of dehydration can lead to tiredness,
headaches, and a lack of concentration.
To get your kids excited about drinking water, it's a good
idea to let them choose their favourite water bottle and encourage them to
drink it throughout the day at school. If your kids find the taste of water to
be too boring for them, try adding a few pieces of frozen fruit to sweeten it
up.
Food safety in lunch boxes
Your kids' lunches will likely be stored in their lunchboxes
for several hours before they eat them, so they need to stay as cool as
possible to decrease the spread of germs. The best option is to choose an
insulated lunchbox, or even one with a freezer pack (or frozen water bottle),
to keep the lunch box cool throughout the day. You can find a great range of
fun and colourful lunchboxes and water
bottles right here at Dotty Hippo.
Healthy packed
lunches don't have to be boring! Follow this guide and you'll be able to create
a range of options that both you and your kids will enjoy.
