Tips on a healthy, kid-friendly lunch box

Published Jan 9, 2019

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With school lunch box policies getting stricter by the year, we asked dietitian Lucinda Lourens - and spokesperson for the Association for Dietetics in South Africa - for some tips on a healthy, yet kid-friendly lunch box. 

Lucinda’s list of interesting sandwich fillers that balance the healthy and still manage to attract the taste buds of children (who can be very fussy eaters): 

- Thinly sliced leftover meat, chicken or turkey

- Tuna / chicken / egg and light mayonnaise

- Sugar-free peanut butter or nut butters

- Lean minced meat

- Liver / fish spread

- Cottage cheese

- Light hummus

- Avocado

Add ons:

Tomatoes, greens (baby spinach, lettuce or cabbage), cucumber, gherkins, low-fat cheese, lean soft biltong and lean bacon.

Healthy drinks:

- Water (always!)

- Home-made ice tea

- Low-fat unflavoured, sugar-free milk

- Diluted 100% fruit juice (¼ juice, ¾ water)

Healthy snacks to include in the lunch box:

- Popcorn

- Fresh fruit

- Fish cakes

- Baby quiches

- Unsalted mixed nuts

- Roasted corn-on-the-cob

- Low-fat yoghurt or custard

- Lean meat and vegetable balls

- Wholegrain home-made muffins

- Fruit and / or vegetable smoothie

- Home-made banana and nut bread

- Fruit salad with light custard or low fat yoghurt

- Mini-wholegrain pita or wrap with vegetable and protein (cheese, chicken or meat) filling

- Lean biltong, ostrich or game with cottage cheese dip

- Provita or wholegrain crackers with a low-fat / sugar-free spread

- Raw veggies (carrots, snap peas, cherry tomatoes and baby corn) with a dip (light mayonnaise, sugar-free peanut butter or hummus)

Helpful tips for lunch box planning/shopping:

 

The five golden rules for a healthy school lunch box are:

- Variety

- Balanced

- Colourful

- Fresh

- Fun

- Use a lunch box with dividers to pack the lunch and snack in creative ways! It will also display food more attractively!  

- Put your child’s name on to make them feel important.

- Make them feel special!! Write a short note or put a picture of their favourite super hero or family photo in their lunchbox. T

- Resist giving your child money to spend at the school cafeteria! 

- Keep it interesting!! Cut out the sandwich into a heart shape or assemble the fruit into the shape of a flower! 

- Put fruit and vegetable pieces onto skewers to make kebabs.

GET CREATIVE : Have a look at www.superhealthykids.com AND www.easylunchboxes.com for fantastic ideas!!  

SURPRISE your little one with a treat once in a while. A small chocolate or cupcake will remind them that treats can be part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Plan AHEAD! Take time to plan each lunch box. This is not time wasted – remember you are investing in your child’s health and wellbeing and should never compromise on that!  

The healthiest type of bread:

- Low GI seeded bread / buns; 

- Wholegrain or multi-seed wraps / pitas; 

- Gluten- and wheat free options should only be given to children with a true allergy or intolerance;

- Home-made breads are great – especially if you make use of stone-ground flour, nuts and seeds to keep the GI low.

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