The days when a simple sandwich sufficed as a school-lunch are long-gone. These days children want alternatives and the legion of junk food available can further complicate making an appetising and healthy lunchbox. Where, oh where to start?
Six components of a balanced lunchbox
As with most things, balance is the key to a healthy lunchbox. A balanced lunch includes the following six components:
- Bread and carbohydrate, for example a sandwich, roll, pita bread, crackers or flatbread
- A fruit snack, for example fresh fruit, fruit roll, dried fruits, or a serving of fruit juice
- A lean protein, for example meat patties, meatballs, meat pie, chicken drumsticks or
- A dairy snack, for example natural yoghurt, cottage cheese, cheese wedges, sliced or cubed cheese, cream cheese or a serving of milk
- A vegetable snack , for example fresh veggies, leftover veggies from supper, veggie kebabs or in soups
- A pantry snack, for example rice crackers, vegetable chips, fruit bars, corn chips, rice cakes, popcorn, trail mix (a combination of dried fruit, grains, nuts, and sometimes chocolate, developed as a snack food) or pretzels.
Useful hints for preparation
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- Almost any leftovers can be used successfully to fill a sandwich, pita bread or a wrap
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- Many pre-packed snack options are available at the supermarket. Be sure that what you buy is natural and healthy. Snacks should be low in sugar and fat and high in fibre. When in doubt, rather leave out
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- To retain their freshness and flavour, vegetables such as carrots and celery can be peeled, cut into sticks and stored in the fridge in a sealed container of water
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- To save time, buy large packs of snacks such as dried fruit or pretzels, and portion them into small snap-lock or zip-seal bags
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- Muffins can also be stored and frozen in bags. Pack them in the lunchbox frozen – they should have thawed by lunchtime
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- Soups are nutritious and can also be prepared in bulk ahead of time and portioned in containers to be reheated and placed in a flask for lunch
Our Employee Wellbeing Programme (EAP) is available 24 hours a day if you want to know more about healthy nutrition.