One good thing about the start of the year is that the kids have to go back to school, and as much as I love them, with a new baby at home, my patience and time is stretched to the tethers trying to keep them entertained.

 

The only downside of ‘kids being back to school’ is that I have to do the six am wake up to pack lunchboxes. I take the task of achieving the perfect lunchbox a challenge, might be my obsessive compulsiveness, but at the end of a school day seeing an empty lunchbox is exhilarating, for I know that my child has not gone starving and secondly my early morning efforts were not in vain.

 

Though in all honesty this motivation does only last in the beginning of the week and by Friday the kids are carrying lunchboxes filled with last night’s pizza or having last minute sausage rolls stuffed in their boxes from the school canteen. 

 

 

 

 

But this year I will put my best ‘mummy’ foot forward and make my children’s lunchbox contents, exciting as well as bundles of nutrition and energy. Considering the subjects at hand, which are our children, it is important for the lunchbox contents to be visually appealing as well as have the recommended nutrition that they require.

 

In our absence, a nice healthy sandwich filled with greens will probably end up in the garbage rather than in little tummies. Here are some important elements to keep in mind when achieving healthy lunchbox success:

 

 

Always include fresh fruit or vegetables and make sure to have a variety. They should be cut into bite sized pieces for easy snacking while the child is partaking in the break time fun. If sending whole fruit, make sure it is a suitable size for the child to consume.

 

 

 

 

Instead of having the plain old sliced bread, add a variety such as roti, pita bread, whole grains to name a few.

 

It is important for your child to have some protein at snack time. Consider using lean meat, peanut butter, tuna or chickpeas as a main ingredient in the snack.

 

Despite our cultural culinary habits avoid sending a lunch of rice and curry or anything that is too heavy, for all your child’s energy will be spent in digesting the heavy carbs and the afternoon session at school will turn into a snooze fest.

 

 

 

 

If making the boring sandwich, keep fillings healthy and variety based. Nutella sandwiches however delicious are not recommended on a daily basis. Experiment with fillings at home and see what your child will like.

 

To avoid soggy sandwiches always put your tomato between cheese or any other filling you have used in your sandwich rather than directly on the bread. For older children you could just pack the sandwich fillings separately and allow the child to put it together at the mealtime.

 

Try and limit the sugar filled snacks as much as possible, for even though these go down easily it might result in unruly kids who the teachers will find difficult to control.

 

Always try and include water instead of fizzy drinks or sugary juices.

 

In this warm weather if you are worried about the freshness of your child’s meal include an ice pack in their lunch bag if there is space or freeze their bottle of water and pack it along with their snack.

 

 

 

 

 

In the early morning chaos sometimes we might forget all about being healthy and include whatever is easy, but you have to take small steps before you start running and if you decide to make a small change everyday then it will become a lifestyle for you and your family.

 

By introducing our children to healthy eating and living we are infact creating more happier children. Who knew it all started with the contents of a lunchbox?..Happy packing!

 

 

 

 

 

By Mayuri Jayasinghe