SCHOOL LUNCHES-HOW TO GET THEM RIGHT!

 

Packing school lunches for your kids can be one of the most nightmarish tasks there is. With schools sending healthy eating guidelines and fussy children who refuse to eat the healthy food that has been prepared for them, this can be a real area of strife for parents and kids. It’s so upsetting to see a warm egg sandwich squished in the bottom of the bag after a long day at school. Or worse still, the thought that your young ones may have thrown them in the bin.

However, with all the creative, colourful lunch boxes and bags currently available on the market, it is true that lunches can be fun and creative! And with a little organisation, it’s possible to make school lunches easy and tasty for both parents and kids.

 

 

Check out my easy guidelines for making packed lunches a pleasure every day!

 

• Check out what foods your children like. The mistake most parents make is that they pack foods they want their children to like. Big mistake! The best fifteen minutes spent during the week is making a list of what your children actually like and get them to help and own the list. Why not add these to the Delicious Lunch Box Food Chart below?

• Use variety. Children get bored by the same foods all the time. Why not try my Lunch Box Planner below? If this is a real chore, why not just have a designated lunch box for each day of the week? This way the children will look forward to each lunch time as they know well in advance what’s in each. Monday Post Roast Sandwich, Tuesday Tuna, Friday Fruit Salad etc.

• Use colour and textures to excite the taste buds. Fruit, vegetables, grains and dairy products are all easy ways create interest.

• Choose a number of hot and cold items depending on the time of year.

• Makes sure each box contains at least one item from each the following sub groups. For inspiration, why not consult my Delicious Lunch Box Food Chart below:

  Protein i.e. meat, cheese, egg, quinoa, lentil, chickpeas;

  Carbohydrate (preferably wholegrain) i.e. bread, wrap, roll, pasta, potato, rice, cous cous.

  Fruit and / or vegetables, cooked or raw.

  Nuts and seeds (If these are not banned from the school)

  Dairy product i.e. greek yoghurt, milk, cheese.

  Fluids, preferably water.

• Select a suitable size and appropriate type of school lunch box.

• Keep food safe, by using an ice block or thermo containers that keep food either hot or cold. There are some great tupperware options in the stores.

• Pack a tissue and hand sanitiser to wash and wipe hands before and after lunch