A balanced diet is about eating lots of different foods to get the nutrients you need, and it’s hard to get that variety into kids’ lunchboxes – it might seem so much easier to stick with the same ham sandwich, crisps and a biscuit every day.
So, if you’re going down the packed lunch route for your kids, be prepared to put in a bit of time and effort – it’ll pay off in spades for their nutrition. Or make the switch to school meals: they already have to meet tough standards for nutrition, so you’ll know your child’s choosing from a healthy menu.
Try our recipes for great lunch boxes below.
Monday
- Hummus and Salad Wrap
- Autumn Feast Muffins
- Pineapple and Pear Smoothie
Tuesday
- Salmon Dip
- Bread
- Green Salad
- Tropical Fruit Salad
Wednesday
- Crunchy Rice Salad
- Autumn Fruit Smoothie
Thursday
- Tortilla
- Mixed Bean Salad
- Cranberry Cookies
- Apple
Friday
- Tuna Crunch Sandwich
- Fruit Tea Bread
If you want to add extras, sticks of carrot or pepper often work well, as do pieces of chopped fruit. Children are much more likely to eat fruit and veg if it’s in bite-sized pieces, and if they don’t have to peel it themselves.
All children have different appetites and these will vary as they grow and develop. You‘ll need to adjust the portion sizes of these recipes appropriately to suit your child’s appetite.
Children should have access to free drinking water throughout the day at school but if you want to add any other drinks to their lunchbox, go for low fat milk, or 100% fruit juice.
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