Lunch boxes are essential to support children's energy levels throughout school. Photo/123rf
A new school year is a good time to review your habits and routines. Lunch planning can help with nutrition and finances.
Returning to school is a time of great anticipation for many families, but it is not without its challenges. One of the big challenges is preparing lunch boxes that are healthy, easy, affordable, and appealing.
Lunch boxes are essential to support children's energy levels and keep them focused throughout school.
What's in a healthy lunch box? How can you maintain freshness while keeping costs down?
Making a healthy lunch box
A balanced and healthy lunch box should include these four elements:
- food for energy: These foods contain carbohydrates that provide energy for learning and play. This can be sandwiches, wraps, pasta, rice dishes, etc.
- food for growth: These foods contain protein that supports your growing body and mind. This includes red meat, eggs, beans, and dairy products.
- healthy food: These foods contain vitamins and minerals that support a healthy immune system and include fruits and vegetables of various colors.
- drink: Water, milk, or milk substitutes are best. Avoid giving your child sugary drinks, such as juices, cordial drinks, and energy drinks, as they can cause dental problems. If your child has difficulty drinking plain water, try a different bottle or cup. Some children tend to drink from bottles with straws or spouts. You can also add a few drops of colorful fresh vegetable juice, such as beetroot, to make the water pink.
Choose your snacks wisely
Most children eat snacks more than the staple foods mentioned above (just like most adults!). Although these foods are fun and delicious, they are not the best option for maintaining energy and focus during each school day.
Therefore, avoid snacks such as fruit bars and straps that are low in fiber, water, vitamins, and minerals and high in sugar. Also avoid dairy desserts such as custard pouches, biscuits, chocolate bars and muesli bars. These are often high in fat and sugar and should not be included in your lunch box.
Homemade snacks like piquelets, rolls, and homemade dips are ideal and cost-effective, but for time-pressed parents, pre-packaged options can be a lifesaver.
When choosing packaged snacks, look for ones that contain less than 600 kilojoules per serving, are low in saturated fat (less than 2 grams per serving), and contain fiber (more than 1 gram per serving).
Also, look for nutrient-dense ingredients like low-fat dairy products, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans for more balanced snack choices. Recommendations include popcorn, boxes of dried fruit, whole-grain crackers and cheese, mini rice cakes, canned fruit cups, and sugar-free yogurt.
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Making lunch boxes becomes easier
We strive to make school lunches easy to handle and eat.
For younger children, cut fruits and vegetables into larger pieces, cut sandwiches into quarters, and choose packages that are easy to open.
Have the children help prepare and pack their lunches, or show them the finished product so they know what's inside. This means that the child will not be surprised by the content. You're also more likely to eat a meal that you helped make.
keep things fresh
Food can sit in your lunch box for hours, so it's important to keep it fresh. To stay as cool as possible, please do the following:
- Use insulated lunch boxes and ice packs.Pack ice packs next to perishable items
- If you are preparing your lunch the day before, let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.
- Instruct children to store their lunch boxes in their school bags and away from direct sunlight and heat.
- Also consider freezing your water bottle overnight to provide a cool and refreshing drink on hot days.
- If you know it's going to be a particularly hot day or your child plans to go out with a packed lunch, choose foods that don't need to be kept cold. For example, baked beans, tetra pack milk, whole grain crackers, and cubed fruit cups. Also consider whole, raw, uncut fruits and vegetables, such as apples, oranges, baby carrots, baby cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes.
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keep costs down
There are several ways to save money when purchasing school lunch supplies.
- Follow the Australian Dietary Guidelines. A 2023 study suggests that following guidelines and maintaining a healthy diet could save a family of four AU$160 (approximately $173) on their fortnightly shopping bill.
- Choose seasonal fruits and vegetables for fresh produce at low prices.
- Take advantage of special deals and bulk purchases, especially on your child's favorite snacks and items with long shelf lives, such as canned and frozen foods.
- Bake items like rolls or muesli bars and freeze them in bulk if you have time. One Handed Cooks has healthy recipes for all ages that are easy on your wallet and freezer.
- Use leftovers from dinner as lunch for the next day
- Keep an eye on your child's lunchbox and see what they're eating. You may eat less at lunch, but you'll need a snack later. Adjust the contents of your lunch box according to your hunger level and prepare an after-school snack to avoid unnecessary food waste.
Click here for ideas on managing your lunchboxes. Grow&Go toolbox. australian nutrition We also have some great suggestions for balancing your child's lunchbox.
