Making a healthy, filling, nutritious lunch your child wants to eat should not be stressful – or break the bank.
Below, the team at Nestlé in the East and Southern Africa region share some tips and tricks to help keep costs down while ensuring you are helping make healthy food choices for your kids.
Get lunch box smart and follow a formula
It can be tempting to stuff your lunch box with carbs - at least they will get eaten, even if they are not the healthiest option. Avoid the temptation to fill your child’s lunch box with a variety of fancy pre-packaged goods unnecessarily.
Keep it simple! Healthy snacks like fruit, carrots, and cucumbers, as well as popcorn, and rice cakes, go a long way. You could even whip up basic treats with your kids over the weekend and add those to the lunch box.
Create a lunch chart
To be able to plan effectively and ensure that you give your children food that has variety, create a lunch chart that covers innumerable healthy nutrients that form a balanced diet. You may be surprised to learn that several types of food can enhance a child’s ability to focus. Create a list that you can plug onto your fridge or pantry door.
Start your child with a glass of Milo for breakfast and then add super-foods such as avocados, blueberries, carrots, or cucumber – this will also depend on what your child enjoys and if they are not allergic to these super-foods.
Always opt for healthier snacks or make something at home
Try to swap products with high sodium or sugar for products with low sodium or sugar. Snack foods like packets of crisps, sweet and savoury biscuits, sweet muffins and pre-packaged dips, cheese or processed meat and cracker packs can contribute to a lot of salt and or sugar intake.
Swap these with low-salt alternatives, such as savoury muffins, preferably home-made, and even better, have the kids help bake them. If you had meat the previous night, consider keeping a bit aside for the lunch boxes the following day instead of processed meats which can be high in salt.
Foods like cheese, wholewheat bread, vegetable sticks, and fruit kebabs are all better options than the snacks kids buy at the local tuckshop. Yoghurt is a great source of calcium using the plain variant, and add your own fruits to it. That way, you can also limit your sugar intake.
Do not forget to get your child hydrated
When it comes to concentration and attention in lessons, hydration is key. Avoid sending in juice and try flavoured water instead - this is extremely easy to make. Put a slice of lemon, lime, apple, or orange in a jug of water and keep it in the fridge. Then pour this into your child’s drink bottle every morning.
Start them with healthy dairy in the morning before they head out to school, a glass of powdered milk like Nespray, mixed with warm water. Nespray provides calcium and iron, which is an important nutrients for bones and teeth, while also assisting with your child’s cognitive development.
For dairy-free options, consult with a registered dietitian to guide you on alternatives.
Lunch box affirmations
Lastly, a note of appreciation tucked into an empty lunch box can brighten even the gloomiest day for yourself and the rest of the family.
Whatever tips you may go with or preference you might have, always involve your children in the back-to-school preparations, as that will help them take accountability for themselves and feel like they are part of the process, which will have them excited and feel prepared for the new school year!