Country Kids

Lunch Box Ideas & Tips

It is important that these are packed with both energy and nutrients to feed you children’s brains for learning. A healthy lunch box will consist of;

• Complex carbohydrate and vegetables e.g., whole grain sandwiches with lettuce or grated carrot, whole grain crackers with tomato and cucumber, container of pasta or rice, thermos of vege soup, mini pizza with spinach and mushrooms
• Protein e.g., hardboiled egg, yogurt, cheese, roast chicken, ham, tuna, hummus, beans
• Fresh Fruit
• Snack e.g., muesli bar, scroggin, popcorn, vege sticks with container of hummus for dipping, crackers and cheese
• Drink-water is best

Limit convenience foods-they are not only expensive but are often high in sugar and salt and low in essential nutrients needed to feed the brain.

Look for snack foods which contain complex carbohydrates (whole grains) and protein which will provide sustained energy.

Children can easily be influenced by advertising and what other children have in their lunch boxes so explain to them about healthy eating and the food choices you make so they can grow strong bodies. Avoid fizzy drinks, fruit juice and food that stick to the teeth. The sugars in these feed the bacteria in the mouth and will contribute to tooth decay.

Remember children will eat what’s offered if that’s all that’s offered-they will not starve themselves!

• cut sandwiches into shapes or roll them
• spread celery with peanut butter, hummus or cream cheese
• hard boil eggs
• fill containers with natural yogurt and add fresh fruit
• mix nuts, seeds and raisins and put into bags
• use colourful containers
• use hummus, pesto, cottage cheese, avocado as a spread in sandwiches

Feed your child’s brain

1. Focus on complex carbohydrates-whole grain bread, crackers, rice and veges, which break down slowly providing a consistent flow of glucose to the brain. Glucose is used to make energy and the brain requires a constant supply of glucose to function optimally as it cannot store glucose like other body muscles and tissues. Simple carbohydrates-sugar, refined flour, cookies, cake etc, do not provide a consistent energy supply to the brain.
2. Concentrate on healthy fats in the diet especially essential fatty acids important for brain function as found in oily fish e.g. salmon and tuna, also nuts and seeds, whole grains and leafy vegetables. Watch low-fat products as they are often high in sugar and salt. Fat is an important nutrient in the diet, it provides energy and is essential to brain function. Other healthy fats include virgin olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds. Avoid processed foods which contain hydrogenated vegetable oils-check packets. Hydrogenated fats contain unhealthy trans-fatty acids.
3. Include protein in every meal and snack-cheese, eggs, nuts, legumes, fish, chicken and meat. Protein slows the breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose and is important for muscle and tissue building including brain tissue. It also contains amino acids which stimulate the production of energising hormones and neurotransmitters.
4. Provide a variety of colourful fruit and vegetables packed with essential vitamins, minerals and phyto-nutrients important for optimum brain function. They also contain anti-oxidants which reduce the effect free-radicals can have on the body. Free-radicals are found in food and in the environment but are also created when the body burns energy.
5. Limit foods with additives-preservatives, artificial colours, sweeteners and flavour enhancers. Additives have no nutritional value and may contribute to learning difficulties and behavioural problems in some children.

Do vary lunchboxes contents from day to day to keep lunches exciting and provide a variety of nutrients! Children get very bored if they always have the same thing to eat in their lunch box!