Healthy School Lunches

Packing a healthy school lunch can be difficult especially if you have a fussy eater. I remember it well. You can only do your best. Seeing an empty lunch box coming home can be very rewarding, especially when you know that it was packed with good nutritious foods. But of course we can never know if it was given away to another child, that is always a possibility.

The ideal lunch box should have a balance of complex carbohydrates, good fats, protein and fibre.

Sandwiches and wraps work well for most, and can be packed with sliced turkey, chicken, or smoked salmon, and topped with finely chopped lettuce, chopped tomato, grated cheese, hummus, or a little mayonnaise.

Your child might prefer finger foods rather than sandwiches or wraps. In this case you could add in chunks of grilled chicken or chicken goujons, hard boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, baby or sliced carrots, slices of cucumber, strips of bell peppers, cubes or cheese, or apple slices coated in lemon juice to stop them going brown. Or dried fruit like sultanas and raisins. A container of almond nut butter if allowed, or Greek yoghurt could be used as a dip.

Yoghurts work well on their own or with some fruit or granola added. Left over pasta or rice dishes can work well too. Water is the ideal drink, keep sugary drinks to a minimum if you can.

A flask of soup would be great during the colder winter months if they would bring it. You could include chicken, tinned chick peas or lentils for extra protein as well as a wide variety of vegetable, Whizz it if your child likes a smooth soup. A kid friendly chicken and vegetable soup is a nice healthy option and is easy to make.

Here is an idea of one you could try at home:

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 medium courgette diced
1 small potato, peeled and diced
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup green beans, chopped
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 1 pound), cut into small cubes
6 cups low salt vegetable bouillon
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup Biona Organic White Spelt Penne Pasta

Instructions:

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the chopped onion and garlic, and sauté for about 2-3 minutes
Add the carrots, celery, and potato to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes and stir occasionally
Add the chicken cubes to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes, stir frequently until chicken is cooked
Pour in the bouillon and add the thyme, oregano, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the courgette, green beans, and peas.
Let the soup simmer for about 15-20 minutes
Stir in the pasta and simmer for 10 minutes the last 10 minutes of cooking
Whizz if your child prefers a smooth soup

This is a great soup to make ahead, it freezes well too. soup is great for making ahead and reheating. They might have some fun preparing it with you too.

Aim for a variety in the lunch box throughout the week, as much as you can anyway. If you have the patience you could let them be involved in deciding what goes in each day. Nice presentation could help encourage to eat their food as it could appear more appealing to them.

Hopefully they will drink some water for you, it is so important to keep hydrated. It will support their energy levels and concentration too.

Supplement for the fussy eater

If you are reading this and thinking, there is no way that my kid will eat any of this, then take a look at Revive Junior or Revive Teen. This is a lovely supplement to top up on nutrients for your kids. You can choose from Junior Revive for children aged 4-12 and Teen Revive for teens aged 13-18. They both have a wide range of nutrients to support your child’s energy, brain, heart, bones and immune system. They contain 22 active ingredients which includes 18 vitamins and minerals, 4 fruit and vegetable powders, Choline, Live Friendly Bacteria, Fibre and Beta Glucans. These supplements are in powder form that you can add to juices, smoothies, or yoghurts. I love that you only need to take it Monday – Friday to coincide with your morning school routine.

Hopefully these tips will help you come up with ideas for healthy school lunches.

Healthy School Lunches