For busy parents, taking the time to put together the perfect, nutritionally balanced school lunch box for their children can be a challenge.
And while some spend hours prepping elaborate bento boxes for their kids, it is possible to keep lunches fresh, healthy and exciting without slaving away in the kitchen.
To offer a little inspiration, Australian dietitian Susie Burrell recently shared a snap of a lunch box she had prepared for her son that was both healthy and ‘child friendly’.
Australian dietitian Susie Burrell recently shared a snap of a lunch box she had prepared for her son that was both healthy and child friendly
In it, was a packet of whole grain cheese biscuits, a tub of grapes, five strawberries, a container of chopped capsicum and celery, one wrap cut in half and turkey balls
The lunch included a packet of whole grain cheese-flavoured biscuits (80 calories), a tub of grapes, five strawberries, a container of chopped capsicum and celery, one wrap cut in half and four turkey balls.
‘Remember the formula – a wholegrain wrap/sandwich/salad, veggies, a protein rich snack and water to drink,’ she said.
Taking to her blog, Susie agreed that creating an appealing lunchbox for small children is no easy feat.
Susie recommends Helga’s mixed grain wraps as they contain less salt than many other brands
‘Considering though that growing children do consume up to 30 per cent of their total calories while they are at school, what we pack them each day is important,’ she said.
When it comes to adding a sandwich or wrap, Susie advised parents to stick with wholegrain or wholemeal varieties of breads and crisp breads.
‘Try to also include a protein rich filling such as ham, tuna, chicken breast or egg on sandwiches as the protein helps to keep kids full throughout the afternoon,’ the Shape Me founder said.
With fruit, fresh is always best as dried fruit, fruit juice, fruit sticks are full of sugar and snacks should always be under 400 kilojoules/100 calories per serve.
Above is another alternative including two different snack options – Kids Roasted Fav-va Beans and Babybel cheese
Dairy is also a good snack option and should be served in the form of milk, cheese or yoghurt if possible.
Susie said that water should always be the drink of choice.
‘Research on Australian children’s lunch boxes has found that on average children are consuming three packaged snacks such as muesli bars, cheese and dip packs, fruit twists, potato chips and snack bars, which is too many,’ she said.
‘Snack foods are often highly processed food choices that offer little nutritionally. For this reason it is suggested that at most children consume one packaged snack food each day.
How to make Susie’s Back to School Bites
Ingredients:
1 cup oats,
1 cup blueberries
1 very ripe banana
3/4 cup chopped dates
Method:
Freeze the mixture then roll into balls with coconut. Yummy, nut free and high in fibre
‘If you are worried that your child’s lunch box does not contain enough “fun” foods, consider letting your child choose his/her snacks once each week and negotiate healthy choices for the remainder of the week.
Too much choice is also a bad idea.
‘One of the biggest issues in relation to children’s lunch box choices is that they have too much choice,’ Susie said.
‘Limit your child’s choice to just one or two food items to avoid starting a never ending negotiation about all the different type of food that you can include in the lunch box.’