Lunchtime is an opportunity to give your kids an energy-boosting healthy meal that will keep them going until they get home.
But the nutritional value of food not eaten is nil, so it pays to invest some time into choosing tasty healthy foods that will sustain your child during the afternoon.
Plan ahead
It’s not easy to go supermarket shopping with a child, but involving your children in shopping and planning their meals can help to spark an interest in food. Perhaps encourage them to help you choose a variety of breads (like wholegrain, granary, or white breads enriched with fibre or seeds) and fillings (such as egg, low fat soft cheese, fresh turkey or chicken breast slices, canned tuna or salmon). Make the most of the juicy and colourful fruits around too. You could pop a few seedless grapes or a chunk of cucumber into their lunch box, or add some sweetcorn to a tuna sandwich filling. Taking a little time to plan and prepare could help your child focus at school and be less tired at the end of the day.
What to pack
Your child's school may operate a packed lunch policy. This will help you to choose foods that are in line with healthy eating. You might find they ban food such as crisps, chocolate, sweets and sugary fizzy drinks. It's so much easier when all the children are avoiding these unhealthy items, so peer pressure can work positively.