February 02nd, 2021

THE LUNCH BOX DILEMMA
 
Making school lunches can be a great source of stress for many parents, myself included. We can fall into the trap of giving our children exactly the same lunch day after day and wonder why they stop eating them! Or we go for the convenient packs of chips, dairy foods and muesli bars, which often children love, however they are not a healthy option. 
 
When you’re tired and busy it’s hard to take the time and have the imagination to produce good healthy lunches for your children.  A few years ago one of our Dietitians, a parent of two young boys, put together these guidelines to help we parents who are struggling to put lunch boxes together.

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How to put together a tasty and nutritious lunch box.
 
Choose from these foods to get the balance right.
 
1)    Wholegrain bread, wraps, pita bread, roti, rolls, rice, noodles (not 2 minute noodles), pasta, 
        rice wafers etc. 
           
        COMBINE WITH
 
2)   Chicken, shaved ham, lean meat, fish/tuna, eggs, cheese, peas/beans/lentils, hummus, nut
       butters and hard boiled eggs and nuts etc 

        ADD
 
3)   Whole or cut-up fruit, berries, grapes, pottle of stewed/tinned fruit, salad, vege sticks, cherry
       tomatoes etc.      

       Fruit and vegetables provide essential vitamins and fibre for good health and digestion
 
4)    Include healthy fats for taste and brainpower such as avocado, salmon or oily white fish
       (tinned is fine) and nuts. 

       OPTIONAL EXTRAS

5)   Dried fruit, popcorn, pikelet, small homemade muffin, or plain biscuits, bite-sized cereal
       eg Weetbix Bites/Miniwheats, small can creamed rice, nuts (if allowed), crackers, corn thins,  
       low sugar yoghurts or natural yoghurt with frozen berries.  

       Makes lunch boxes appealing and provide energy
 
 6)  Fluid – Water is the best choice; the good thing is it’s free from any drinking fountain and tap at
       school.  


If you need more help putting lunch boxes together for you children, especially if you have a child with a health condition or disability, our friendly Dietitians can help, just contact us at Therapy Professionals 
 
                                            Phone: 03 3775280          Email: admin@tpl.nz
 
 
Written by Helen Gunn, Mother of two and Dietitian for Therapy Professionals Ltd Ph. (03) 377 5280