Choosing food for your child’s lunchbox can be a challenging task. Therefore, make sure that you include your little one in the choices. Ask them for suggestions on the meals that they like.
But add a touch of something healthy so that you keep diseases away. This article will provide you with food recommendations that you can include in the lunchbox of your child.
Groups of foods to include:
1. Whole Grain:
Always consider wholesome food as your first choice. These are energy-giving foods that are important for the body of your child. They include rice, oats, pasta, crackers, and bread. You can also consider other minimally processed whole grains.
2. Protein:
Some of the most nutritious proteins include a veggie burger, peanut butter, chicken slices, hummus, beans, roasted turkey, seeds, or boiled egg.
3. Fresh Fruit:
Children may prefer certain fruits above others. It is good to go with their favorite to ensure that they do not return home with an uneaten fruit. You can pick from a wide range of fruits like apples, bananas, oranges, and melons. Berries such as raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries, among others, are also healthy.
You can choose to cut the fruit in attractive shapes to convince the child to eat it. Consider squeezing lemon into it to prevent it from becoming brown and oxidizing.
4. Vegetables:
Always ensure that you encourage your children to eat their vegetables at home so that it is not a shock when you pack them in their lunch box. Cucumbers, asparagus spear, grape tomatoes, carrot sticks, broccoli, and bell pepper, among others, are ideal vegetables.
5. Dairy:
If your children love dairy products, you can incorporate them into their lunch boxes. You can try vanilla yogurt, unflavored milk, or small amounts of cheese.
Lunchbox Suggestions:
Some of the creative combinations include:
- Beans and brown rice with salsa containing avocado, tomatoes, and cilantro.
- Rice, chicken strips, cucumber coins with nuts for a crunchy feeling.
- Soft cheese, salad sandwich, banana, and raisins.
- Salad sandwich, frozen berries with yogurt.
Tips for packing your child’s lunch box:
1. Focus on food that keeps them full for long:
Children need to eat foods like rice, potatoes, bread, or pasta that keep them full for long. Always concentrate on whole grains as they are bound to keep your child full and energized. When it comes to bread, you can mix white with brown bread that is whole grain.
2. Cook food in bulk:
Sometimes you may be too busy to prepare a healthy lunch for your child as it requires an arduous process. Over the weekend, cook food in bulk and pack it away in the freezer in zip bags. Some of the meals you can cook in advance include chicken, oatmeal cookies, and wholegrain cake, among others.
3. Cut back on fat:
Select a lower fat sandwich like turkey or chicken, salmon, or tuna. You can also go for reduced-fat cream cheese.
4. Never forget to add water:
Children play a lot when in school, and it is a great thing to pack water to quench their thirst. Water will help to restore the fluids lost during play and maintain ordinary temperatures. Water is a healthy choice that is free of sugar, caffeine, and sugar.
I hope these suggestions help you select the best meals for your child and make their lunch healthy and fulfilling.
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