Healthy lunch box tips for kids

Kids are so busy, to boost their energy and help them concentrate at school it is important to pack a healthy school lunch box.  I cam across some great lunch box ideas the other day over at Fresh for Kids.  Here are some of their top tips for as well as my own for a healthy lunch box that will nourish your kids:

1. Include a range of fresh fruit and vegetables and vary them daily so the kids don’t become too bored.

2. Offer whole grain breads, rolls, pita and flat breads.

3. Use avocado instead of butter as a spread for sandwiches.

4. Yoghurt and cheese are good ways of including dairy into the diet. Use reduced fat options.

5. Kids need a serve of protein at lunchtime. Include lean meat like ham or use chickpeas or tuna.

6. Add a bottle of water to your lunchbox too and limit juice.

7. It’s important to keep food cold to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria. Pack school lunch in an insulated lunchbox and include a small freezer brick or freeze a bottle of water.

8. Kids like fresh fruit cut and ready to eat. Fruit salad is the ideal lunch box solution; it’s colourful, easy to eat and bursting with vitamins.

9. Offer different seasonal fruits each day for a change in flavour, colour and texture.

10. Freeze fruits in the summer or for sport days. Simply pop the frozen fruit into a small plastic bag or airtight container.

11. If including whole fruit in the lunchbox, select fruit that is a suitable size for a child to easily hold in their hand and eat (this is particularly important for younger children).

12. Peel and slice or cut fruit if possible and choose seedless varieties of grapes, watermelon and Imperial mandarins.

13. If you’re added tomato to sandwiches, place the tomato between fillings and not directly onto the bread. This prevents the bread becoming soggy.

14. When using avocado, mash or drizzle with a little lemon or lime juice to prevent the avocado from discolouring.

15. Mild tasting and crunchy lettuce varieties like Iceberg and Oak leaf and Lebanese cucumbers are ideal for kids.

16. Add leftover (or cook extra) roast pumpkin or sweet potato to sandwiches, wraps and roll fillings. Naturally sweet and loaded with beneficial antioxidants, roast vegetables team well with a range of fillings.

17. Make salads or salad sandwich fillings interesting by using a range of vegetables like grated carrot, snow pea sprouts, lettuce or rocket or baby spinach, sliced celery, tomatoes, avocado and cucumber.

18. Use a vegetable peeler to slice cucumber into thin ribbons for sandwich fillings.

If you have more of your own healthy lunch box tips share them with us in the comments below.