Whether you’re sending your child to school for the first time or their fifth year, packing lunch can be a challenge. For kids in kindergarten, the task will be even more difficult because they aren’t used to eating healthy foods on their own and they tend to like salty snacks. The last thing you want is for your kid to get hungry after lunchtime so I’ve put together a few tips that will help you pack healthier lunches for them:
Avoiding processed foods
As a parent, you want to do everything you can to make sure your kids are eating healthy. The school lunch program is a great way to ensure that they get the proper nutrients they need each day–but it can also be overwhelming if you’re not sure what kinds of things they should and shouldn’t be eating.
Processed foods often contain high amounts of salt, sugar, fat and saturated fat–and sometimes even more than one at once. Also, avoid foods that are high in cholesterol (like egg sandwiches). These types of meals may taste good at first but ultimately lead to poor health later on down the road when these ingredients lead towards heart disease or diabetes among other serious conditions such as cancer due to overconsumption over time which causes inflammation throughout your body.”
Replace white bread
White bread is high in calories, sodium and sugar. It’s also a refined carbohydrate that has a low fibre content. While white bread may be one of the cheapest options for you at the grocery store, it’s not the healthiest choice for your child’s lunchbox.
Instead of using white bread as a sandwich base or crouton alternative, try whole grain varieties instead. These provide more nutrients than their counterparts (including iron) while still being affordable enough to buy regularly.
Adding variety to their meals
Complex carbs like brown rice or quinoa will give them energy throughout the day–and make sure there’s enough room left over in your kid’s lunchbox, You can also add variety to their meals by including a variety of foods. According to Sparkways childcare (Carrum Downs), it’s important to include protein in their lunchbox to make sure your child gets the proper nutrition because when kids eat well, they tend to be happier and more attentive. Also, protein helps build muscles and keep them strong, so it’s crucial for kids who are growing up.
Fats are also very important for health and should be included in every meal plan. Fats help us feel satiated after eating because they take longer to digest than carbohydrates or proteins do; they also provide essential fatty acids that our bodies need but can’t produce on their own (like omega-3s).
Including fresh fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals and fibre. They can also help your child feel full for longer periods of time, which may be helpful if your kindergartener has a tendency to graze on snacks throughout the day or at snack time.
Including fresh fruit in your child’s lunchbox is an easy way to add extra nutrition into their diet that they might not otherwise get from processed foods or other treats inside the lunchbox. Fruits such as applesauce (without added sugar), bananas and oranges are easily transported without turning brown before lunchtime–and they’re delicious too.
Vegetables like green beans or carrots make great additions because they’re packed with antioxidants that fight free radicals in cells that damage DNA over time; this helps prevent diseases later in life such as cancer so it’s important for kids’ diets now. You could even try making a healthy stir fry with broccoli florets mixed with soy sauce – yum!
Replacing dairy with nut milk or soy milk
As a parent, you want your child to grow up healthy and strong. Whether they’re in kindergarten or high school, packing their lunches is an important part of their daily routine. Children who eat well are better prepared for learning throughout the day and have more energy at night when it’s time for homework.
So what should you pack? One way to make sure that your kids get enough nutrients is by adding more fruits and vegetables to their diet. Try making sandwiches with whole wheat bread instead of white bread; this will help boost fibre intake while keeping calories down. Also, remember that some dairy products aren’t as healthy as others–for example, soy milk has fewer calories than cow’s milk does but still provides calcium which helps prevent osteoporosis later on down life’s path.
Pack School Snacks
You should pack your kids’ school lunches in a separate bag from their main meal so you can make sure to pack them healthier options, like fruits and veggies, that won’t spoil the rest of their lunch if they don’t eat them right away. For example: If you’re making turkey sandwiches for yourself and your partner at home each morning, then take out some grapes or applesauce as well so that when it comes time for lunchtime, there are still nutritious options available to everyone involved.
Try using reusable containers instead of plastic bags, they’ll last longer than single-use items while also reducing waste by eliminating excess packaging materials. Pack snacks in an insulated bento box like Vero Junior lunchboxes, which has plenty of room inside so nothing gets squished together when placed into storage during the day. Make sure this container has enough space left over after filling up all four compartments because sometimes kids will want more than one thing at once–and having extra space allows for this possibility without changing how much food needs packed each morning before heading out into traffic.
Pack Small Treats
While you want to make sure your child has a healthy lunch, it’s also important to avoid overdoing it. If your child gets too many treats, he or she will be too full for the rest of their meal and won’t be able to finish it.
It’s best not to give them any unhealthy treats at all–this includes candy and chips that are high in sugar, fat and salt. While these foods may seem harmless enough at first glance (and even tasty), they can cause more harm than good when eaten regularly by young children who don’t have much experience processing food yet.
2 Comments
Pingback: Five Amazing Tips to Raise a Well-Behaved Child with Autism
Pingback: 4 Great Places to Go for a Work Lunch