Helpful list for a great packed lunch

Helpful list for a great packed lunch

Is it a child sized portion…. Will they be able to finish it all during lunch club.

Have a look at the salt and fat content……does it seem too much? Read the labels the recommended amounts for a 1-3 year old 2g salt a day 4-6 year old no more than 3g per day . total fat intake for a 2-3 year old should be 30-35% of their total daily intake of calories. The recommended daily intake of sugar for a 4-6 year old is no more than 19g (5 sugar cubes) ..a can of cola has 9 cubes of sugar in it!

Is there at least 1 portion of vegetable and 1 portion of fruit

Has the fat content been reduced but not removed young children need healthy fats –less butter, less mayonnaise

Crisps and savoury biscuits …. Not everyday … a weekly treat

Bite sized colourful fruit (please cut grapes lengthwise)

Check for choking risks with all food items

Fruit drinks contain a lot of sugar try encouraging tap water or dilute then by 50% to improve teeth health

Water is a suitable alternative to fizzy sugary drinks

Fruit bars and dried fruit are concentrated in sugar … not good for little teeth

Try to avoid processed products(unnecessary salt, Sugar and additives) … if it doesn’t seem natural, look for alternatives.

Swap cakes, chocolate, cereal bars and biscuits for fruit bread, malt loaf, rice cakes or fruit -fresh or tinned (if not in syrup)

Lots more ideas and information -look on Pinterest -I have set up an ideas board.

https://pin.it/CqguGrc please do not use any nut recipes.

read “PACKED” by Becky Alexander and Michelle Lake

www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving

www.NHS.uk/live-well/eat-well/the eat-well-guide www.nhs.uk/change4life/recipes/healthier-lunchboxes

www.yummytoddlerfood.com/easy-bento-box-ideas

Please try to reduce the amount of non-recyclable packaging in each lunch box you could try wax wraps and reusable tubs.

Busy Bees Marshalswick

Have you thought about ….?

some ideas for children’s packed lunches.

We all want the best for all our young children and offering a colourful heathy packed lunch can make a big difference.

We can play our part to help reduce childhood obesity, lower the increase in tooth decay and improve oral health.

Lunch gives us the opportunity to provide a nutritious meal that will boost our children’s health and sustain them throughout the afternoon.

Children love to help, get them involved, try new tastes, and keep it varied.

You can put your child’s lunch in any leakproof container… save lidded tubs from take away or other food items.
Select an energy food such as bread, wraps, bagels, pitta, pasta, noodles, rice, couscous (try wholemeal or brown varieties)
Cut sandwiches into interesting shapes and you could mix the bread types, there is no need to cut the crusts off.
Bread can be frozen and just taken out 2 slices at a time to prepare lunches.
Fillings could include ham, cooked chicken, cheese, egg, tuna add some cucumber or lettuce for texture and extra vitamins.
Experiment with pitta pockets and wraps, fill them with cheese, cream cheese, crunchy pepper, cucumber even avocado.
You do not need to buy anything special for your child’s lunch, cook a little extra dinner the night before, pasta, noodles, fish fingers, sausages, pizza, chicken, all taste good the next day if kept overnight in the fridge.
Omelette or egg muffins. Grease a muffin tin, mix up an egg with some ham or cheese, spinach or cooked potato pour into the tin and bake for 12-15 mins delicious cold.
Brighten up the lunch box with some vegetables- carrot batons, red pepper, cucumber, tomatoes (cut up cherry tomatoes) cooked green beans, corn. Add a small amount of dip such as sesame free humous, mashed avocado, cream cheese, Greek yoghurt.
Adding a small amount of fruit is ideal- banana, apple, chopped grapes, satsuma, tinned fruit ideally in juice not syrup.
Finally you may like your child to have a small treat or dessert, of course this is lovely, so instead of chocolate, sugary desserts and biscuits try sugar free jelly (much better value to make up your own from a packet and put in individual tubs ..you could add some chopped tinned fruit). Yoghurts (check the sugar ..) rice cakes, fruit teacake or a square of homemade sponge cake or pancakes.
Keep crisps as a treat once or twice a week…. if you buy family packs make smaller portions in little tubs, try roasting chickpeas with herbs
Sweets, chocolate treats, concentrated fruit and cereal bars can be saved for special occasions. As can fizzy sugary drinks.
Another idea…a bento box…a single portion take out or home packed meal (originally of Japanese origin). A traditional bento may contain rice or noodles with fish or meat often with pickled and cooked vegetables in a box. This idea can so easily be adapted to contain your child’s favourites.