WELLBEING TIP
Packed Lunches for School
Keep them fuller for longer
Base the main lunchbox item on foods like bread, rice, pasta and potatoes. Choose wholegrain where you can.
Cut back on fat
Pick lower-fat fillings – like chicken, turkey, tuna, salmon, low fat spread.
Mix your slices
If your child does not like wholegrain bread, try making a sandwich from 1 slice of white bread and 1 slice of brown bread. Best of both is a good alternative too.
Don’t forget the veg…
Cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, cucumber, celery and peppers all count towards their 5-a-day. Adding a small pot of dips may help with getting kids to eat vegetables.
Try to add salad to sandwiches and wraps too – it all counts towards the 5-a-day!
Cheese
Cheese can be high in fat and salt, so choose stronger-tasting ones – and use less of it or try reduced-fat varieties.
Cut down on crisps
If your child really likes crisps in their lunch box, try reducing the number of times you include them or only give them a few instead of the whole pack. Have you tried the baked crisps? Much lower in fat!
Bite-sized fruit
A smaller piece of fruit looks less daunting to eat than a very large one!
A small pot of fruit in juice (not syrup) is perfect for a lunchbox.
Dried fruit like raisins, sultanas and dried apricots are not only cheaper than processed fruit bars and snacks but are healthier too.
Yoghurts
Buy low-fat and low-sugar yoghurts or fromage frais. Much better for little teeth.
Your child may feel very overwhelmed with the amount of food you put into their lunchbox. Think portion size. What looks small to an adult is perfect size for a child! A child’s portion should be the size of the child’s palm of the hand!
A typical child’s lunch should consist of:
Small portions of dairy (cheese/yoghurt)
Protein (lean meat, fish, eggs, pulses)
Fruit & Veg
Carbs (pasta, rice, bread)
When it comes to children’s lunch portions… size matters! Remember… palm of your child’s hand for each item of food.
For further info please visit:
www.nhs.uk
www.southernhealth.nhs.uk
www.healthyfamilies.org.uk