Top tips for a healthy lunch box

Top tips for a healthy lunch box

“¢ Always include fresh fruit and vegetables. Vary the selection to keep it interesting.

“¢ Offer a variety of whole grain breads, rolls, pita bread and flat breads.

“¢ Use avocado as a spread instead of butter or margarine.

“¢ Use reduced fat dairy foods. Cheese and yoghurt are ideal.

“¢ Kids need a serve of protein at lunchtime. Ensure you include lean meat, egg, peanut butter, chickpeas or tuna.

“¢ Add a chilled bottle of water and limit juice.

Keep it fresh – packing the lunchbox

It’s important to keep food in the lunch box cold to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria.

More ideas for healthy eating with your kids:

http://www.healthyeatingatschool.ca/

http://www.dietitians.ca/

Helpful tips for adding fresh fruit and vegetables to lunch boxes

“¢ 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.

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

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

“¢ 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 particulary important for younger children).

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

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

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

Make your own Pizzas

Whole wheat English muffins (or other bread, depending on what your child likes)

Tomato sauce or pizza sauce

Shredded cheese

Various toppings – pineapple, ham, veggies, tofu

Allow your child to assemble a pizza to their own liking. Provide healthy options for toppings.

Grill in toaster oven for approx 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted.

Macaroni and Cheese with Tofu

1 cup shredded cheese (low-fat)

1 pkg soft tofu

4 cups cooked whole wheat macaroni

1 cup chicken meat, shredded (no skin)

2 cups mixed vegetables (from frozen)

Salt to taste

Use hand-blender to blend tofu until smooth. Over medium-high heat, cook tofu and cheese until melted and blended together.

Add cooked macaroni, chicken and mixed vegetables. Heat until armed through. Salt to taste.

Makes approx 6 cups (1 cup per serving).

Nutrition Facts

Mac and Cheese with Tofu

Serving Size: 1 serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 341

Total Fat 6.2g

Saturated Fat 2.2g

Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol 32mg

Sodium 318mg

Carbohydrate 50g

Dietary Fiber 5.9g

Sugars 3.8g

Protein 23.2g

Vitamin A 27% Vitamin C 5%

Calcium 19% Iron 16%