Healthy Kids School Canteen Association

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Healthy Kids Lunchbox Tips

Why is packing a nutritious lunchbox so important for your child?

Whilst a child is at school they will consume around a third of their daily nutritional requirements through eating recess and lunch.  Therefore it is important that the lunchbox is well planned and contains a variety of healthy yummy choices to ensure your child consumes enough energy and nutrients to help them concentrate, learn and play.

Preparation and Time Saving Tips for Packing a Lunchbox

Try to involve your children in the selection of the foods they will have in their lunchbox and even help out with the shopping if possible.  This will mean there is more of a chance of them eating everything.

Quick tips:

• For small children keep serves small and cut up wherever possible.
• Sandwiches can be prepared and precut the night before or on the weekend, frozen then taken for each day’s lunchbox. Suitable fillings that can be frozen include cooked lean meat, reduced-fat cheese, baked beans or vegemite.  Defrost in the fridge overnight and add salad in the morning.
• Cut up veggie sticks the night before when cutting up the vegetables for dinner and put in a tub ready for the lunchbox.
• Stop the sandwiches from going soggy by placing tomato between the lean meat, reduced-fat cheese or lettuce.
• Cut sandwiches into different shapes such as triangles or fingers.
• Ask your child to list their top 10 sandwich fillings or put the list on the fridge, this will help if you are stuck one morning and need to make something in a hurry.
• To introduce your child to wholemeal or wholegrain bread why not try zebra pattern - ½ white ½ wholemeal sandwiches.
• Ensure you vary the items to keep your child interested in food and to prevent boredom.

Food Safety:

• Because the food in your child’s lunchbox will be out of the fridge for up to 6hrs you need to make sure that it is as safe and cold as possible.
• Ensure basic food safety and hygiene procedures in the kitchen before making your child’s lunch ie wash hands, clean working surface.
• Make sure reduced-fat dairy and lean meat products are either frozen the night before or kept next to a frozen ice brick, water bottle or UHT milk carton in the lunchbox.
• For a lunchbox choose an insulated bag with an ice brick or frozen water bottle to keep their lunch cold and safe from any harmful bacteria and spoilage.
• Wash the lunchbox everyday, this way you can discard any uneaten food as well.