Healthy Lunch Box Ideas
For the Whole Family
Making healthy lunch choices is important for a child’s growth and development, but it can be a battle making sure the carefully prepared lunch box isn’t returned home untouched.
A good lunch should provide your child with foods for both morning tea and lunchtime – by mid-morning they will be hungry and need a healthy, filling snack to keep them going through to the lunch break.
Getting kids to Eat Their Lunch
Involve children in the planning and preparation. Ask them for two or three things they would like to include in their lunch and try to incorporate them. After a few weeks, ask them again – the key is to keep foods interesting by offering variety. Better still, save time and get them to help you make it!
Healthy snacks for the whole family
Whole-wheat biscuits or crackers
Vegetable sticks
Fruit (whole or in pieces)
Dried fruit (apricots, raisins, apples)
Breakfast bar (look for ones high in fibre)
Fruit loaf
Air popped popcorn
Yoghurt
Healthy lunch ideas;
For adults: Soup, vegetable sticks and dip or salad, and fruit
For kids: Bagel with vegetable confetti: Spread bagel with plain/low fat cream cheese, finely dice raw veggies such as red/yellow peppers or carrots, sprinkle over bagel
Fill breads with a variety of different coloured salad ingredients. Try grated carrot, sliced cucumber, sprouts, mushrooms, peppers, leafy greens. Avoid salad ingredients like tomatoes that will make the bread soggy. And try different breads such as ciabatta, focaccia, pita, flat bread and wraps or muffins.
Protein fillings: egg, peanut butter, cheese, tuna, chicken