How to Create a Healthy Lunchbox
by Chloe Murphy | 8th Sep 2022
Are you tired of the same lunch? We often end up putting the same foods in our lunchbox for each day. However, lunch is a crucial meal contributing to our daily needs, so it is important to put thought into what you are adding to your lunchbox. Whether you are heading back to work or making lunch for your kids here are some tips to follow.
Make sure the 4 key components are included
Vegetables, Salad, and Fruit
Protein Source: Meat, Poultry, Fish, Beans, Legumes, Eggs, and Nuts
Carbohydrate: Wholemeal Bread, Pasta, Rice, and Potatoes
Dairy: Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese
Variety
Make your lunchbox interesting. Try to vary the components each day as it makes lunch more enjoyable. Here are some lunch ideas you could use.
Monday:
Wholemeal bread roll, with chicken, lettuce, and tomatoes
Orange and Strawberries
Carrot sticks
Yogurt pot
Tuesday:
Chicken pasta salad
Banana
Cherry tomatoes
Wholemeal crackers and cheese
Suitable Drinks
Don't forget to stay hydrated! If you do not drink enough, you may become dehydrated, tired, and weak. Bring a water bottle full of water and if needed, you can fill it up during the day.
The best option is water, however, sugar-free dilute, smoothies, and unsweetened fruit juices are best suited at mealtimes and limited to one small glass per day.
Safety
Keep food safety in mind when packing your lunchbox. Certain foods may require an ice pack if there is no access to a fridge. If you do not have an ice pack, you can freeze a water bottle overnight and use it to keep your lunch cool.
Lunchbox for your Kids
Creating good food habits early in life can be really beneficial and can last a lifetime. You can follow the same rules as above, to prepare a healthy lunchbox that your child will eat and enjoy.
Try involving your child in preparing and packing their lunches. Let them help choose some element of their lunch and pick a colourful lunchbox and water bottle.
Children often need to see and taste new foods numerous times before they accept them, so try out new ideas at dinner time or at the weekend before including them in a lunchbox.
How can we help?
Some of our Healthy Snacks may be a good component to add or perhaps some of our meals. We have a range of Lunches and Dinners that can be used as a complete meal or added with some extra components such as fruit and yogurt.
Reference:
Safefood (Jan 2022) https://www.safefood.net/education/healthy-lunchb...