Ensure that your child has a nutritious lunch
WHILE most children dread the routine of early mornings and late evenings with lots of homework, parents also have a thorn in their side when it comes to back to school – lunch!
What to make? Which snacks are acceptable? How much food should I pack? One lunch box versus a million little containers?
POST asked Zelda Ackerman, a registered dietitian and the spokesperson for the Association for Dietetics in South Africa, for advice.
“The most important thing to remember when packing school lunch boxes is that you need to pack food that will provide your children with the nutrients they need. Also, keep in mind whether you are packing for a snack (which will be eaten at break time) or for lunch.”
Pointers to remember:
♦ Children mostly lack vitamins, minerals and calcium in their diets: The best foods to pack for a snack are fruit, vegetables and a dairy product like low-fat unsweetened yoghurt or milk.
♦ Children also have high energy needs, as they are growing and are active: For lunch, you need to pack a healthy wholegrain starch and a small protein like peanut butter, hummus, cheese or low-fat cottage cheese. Also, pack at least one vegetable or fruit for lunch.
♦ Before packing, you also need to keep your child’s temperament in mind: Many children are not bothered by food and rather want to play at break time. If your child is one of these, especially if the school does not give kids a time to eat before break time, it is important to pack something which they can grab and go. Otherwise, they may just return their snack or lunch box untouched.
♦ Kids look at each other’s lunch boxes: Make sure your children will be proud to open their lunch boxes. Pack food that looks fresh and appetising. Avoid packing foods with strong odours that the whole class will smell when opened. For this reason, stay away from fish, eggs, broccoli and cauliflower. Rather give these nutritious foods at home.
No polony, leftovers:
Ackerman said processed foods like polony, viennas and chicken nuggets are a no-no.
“The foods are high in fat and salt, which makes them unhealthy. Children also need little protein, so children are not supposed to snack on meaty products, but rather on fruit, vegetables and dairy.”
We asked about leftovers from supper.
“Leftover food, especially if it contains chicken or meat, are a higher risk for food-borne illness. If leftover food is not refrigerated quickly after cooking, kept cold and reheated until boiling temperature before eating, germs may grow quickly and make children sick.
“Children also need a variety of food. If a child eats the same food every day for lunch and supper, he may become bored and also not get all the nutrients that he needs due to a lack of variety in his diet.”
What to drink:
On the beverage front, Ackerman said 100% fruit juices were a better choice than cordial, but they were still seen as sugar and were thus not a healthy choice.
“Fruit juice is a concentrated energy source: 1 box of fruit juice contains about three to four fruit.
“Few children will eat four fruit at one time. Fruit juice also does not contain fibre. It is thus much better to pack fresh fruit and water rather than fruit juice. The best drink to pack is clean water.”