Obviously, children need food, and lunch can be just as
important as breakfast to get your child through the school day. As a parent,
sibling or guardian, packing a lunch for kids when they go to school should be
something you take seriously because, not only does a healthy lunch nourish and
help their little bodies grow, it also very important because it energizes them
for the remainder of the day.
If prepared right, this meal will give them adequate energy
to concentrate in class, especially in the afternoon, when minds start to wander.
Here are some simple and healthy lunch box ideas you should try to help your
children get the most out of their academics:
Swap it Up!
You may be tempted to keep your children on a consistent
lunch routine. Maybe you don’t have the time to prepare different meals, or lack
the necessary resources or creativeness. However, kids need variety in their
diets, and as a result, it's important to keep things dynamic, as far as
cuisine is concerned. A variety of different lunches will avoid the possibility
of your child getting bored - and possibly skipping - their lunch at school.
Think about your leftovers from dinner to reuse food and
create alternative lunches. Maybe you made some organic pizza for dinner, and
there were some leftovers. Package a couple of pieces of the pizza up and pack
it in the lunchbox for tomorrow, add some fruit on the side, some low fat or
skim milk, and Voila! Healthy and fun!
Keep the Lunch Box Fresh
Kids can tell when something isn’t fresh, and most of types
of food that you would pack in a lunch box will require some kind of
preservation. There are plenty of lunch packs on the market that are made
specifically to keep lunch products fresh for kids, and many work best if you
pack the lunch the night before and leave them in the fridge overnight. Yes,
it's an investment, but it's well worth it.
Also, remember that bread can become soggy and squished,
bananas can get mashed, and apples can get bruised if the lunch is not packed
well, and kids probably won't eat them, so don't toss the apple in the bag at
the last minute on top of the sandwich...repack it.
Other tips for packing
a healthy lunchbox:
- When you are packing for your kids, always ensure you include fresh fruits and vegetables in the meal. Fruits and veggies contain the essential vitamins and minerals that are necessary to build their young immune system as possible. You can, therefore, never go wrong packing a lunch box that is rich in fruits and vegetables. Add a little container of fat-free or light salad dressing for veggie dip or caramel for apples, to add some fun to the lunch.
- Always include adequate whole meal foods in the lunch box. This includes foods such as whole meal bread, pasta and rice. Research has shown hat whole meal foods provide surprisingly higher amounts of energy, compared to lean meals - your kids need this.
- Prepare less fatty daily meals. This may mean completely foregoing fatty foods and food products to reduce those extra fatty acids, which result in obesity and illnesses later in life. Reduce fatty dairy product intake, margarine and so forth. Instead, you can choose healthy alternatives, like avocado, for good results.
In general, when it comes to ensuring that your kids eat
healthy diets when they are at school, a lot of patience, check ups,
experiments and hard work are essential before you can get them right. By diligently
seeking new recipes, lunch box diet plans for kids and fun snacks, the goal is
already half achieved!
Finally, when your child gets home, ask them what they liked
about their lunch to ensure they ate it. Also, here and there, sneak in a
little "I love you" note, or "Have a wonderful day" as a
surprise here and there to brighten your child's day.
Author Bio: Stephanie is a New York mom of three,
loves to cook and writes tips for rush writing service http://www.rushmyessay.com/.
What special things do you do to make healthy lunches for your
kiddos?
