Healthy Eating – School Lunches

Introduction

School is a time when children start to make independent choices about their lifestyles. School-aged children learn quickly and are influenced by friends and popular trends. This is an important time to talk about and encourage healthy food habits. 

Involving children in planning and preparing their own lunchboxes gives them the opportunity to learn about healthy eating, and also gives them a chance to make autonomous decisions about what they will be eating during the day.
Here are some tips to remember during planning healthy lunch boxes for children are as follows:-

Involve your children in healthy choices:-

• It is very important to Encourage children to help prepare their lunchboxes. Older children may be able to prepare most of their lunch themselves, and younger children can help with making sandwiches or cutting up soft fruit. 
• It is a good idea to prepare lunchboxes the evening before to allow children to participate.
• Write a shopping list together. Take your children shopping with you and let them choose foods and drinks from the shopping list.

What to put in healthier school lunches?

Try planning a healthy lunch box to start the school year. Talk to your children and discuss what they would be happy to have included.

• Fresh crunchy vegetables fresh fruits.
• Milk, yogurt or cheese (you can use reduced-fat options for children over the age of two years). For children who cannot tolerate milk products, offer appropriate alternatives like calcium-fortified soy or rice drink or soy yogurt.
• A grain or cereal food like bread, a roll, flatbread, fruit bread or crackers (wholegrain or wholemeal choices are best).

Tips for healthy lunchboxes include:

• Cut up large pieces of fruit and put them in a container – this makes it easier to eat, especially if your child has wobbly teeth or if they have less time to eat than they are used to. Send a damp face washer to help with extra juicy fruit.
• Consider giving half a sandwich or roll for morning recess, as this is an easy way to get a healthy fill.
• In the hot weather, send frozen milk, yogurt or water, or even frozen orange segments. This makes a great refreshing snack and helps to keep the lunch box cool.
• Go for color and crunch in the lunch box by offering a variety of colorful vegetables and fruit.

There are many websites where you can find ideas for a healthy and interesting school lunch.

What not to put in healthier school lunches?

Some items do not belong in a healthy school lunchbox. Six items to avoid when preparing lunch for your children include:

• All sweet drinks such as fruit juices, fruit drinks, cordials, sports drinks, energy drinks, flavored waters, flavored mineral waters, iced teas and soft drinks. These are high in energy (kilojoules) and sugar and can lead to weight gain and oral health problems in children.
• Dried fruit bars and ‘straps’. These are low in fibre and are also high in sugar and can stick to children’s teeth, causing tooth decay.
• 'Dairy desserts', chocolate bars and muesli bars. These are generally high in fat and sugar.
• Chocolate spreads, jams and honey in sandwiches.

School lunches and food safety

Food is usually stored in lunchboxes for several hours and it is important to keep the lunchbox cool so that the food stays fresh. Some tips to help keep lunchboxes safe include:

• Choose an insulated lunch box or one with a freezer pack.
• Pack a wrapped frozen water bottle or freezer brick next to foods that should be kept cold (for example cheeses, yogurts, meats, and salads).
• Perishable foods such as dairy products, eggs, and sliced meats should be kept cool, and eaten within about four hours of preparation. Don’t pack these foods if just cooked. First cool in the refrigerator overnight.
• If making lunches ahead of time, keep them in the fridge until leaving for school or freeze them in advance.
• If you include leftover meals such as meats, pasta, and rice dishes, make sure you pack a frozen ice block in the lunch box.