Article originally published in the Summer 2016 edition of The Holistic Parent Magazine.
Sending a healthy lunch to school with your child is critical not only for their overall wellness, but also their success at school. A well-fuelled child will listen more attentively, retain more information, and have more stable emotions throughout the day.
To ensure you’re child is getting a healthy lunch, I recommend including 7 things:
2 Protein Foods
May include meats, eggs, seeds (most schools are nut-free), or beans.
Protein is digested slowly and will help keep your child feeling fuller for longer.
Fat
May include coconut oil, avocado, high-quality oil in a dressing, meats or eggs.
Fat is the preferred source of fuel for our brains, we need lots while learning new things.
Fibre
May include flax seeds, chia, coconut flour, berries, beans, or leafy greens.
Fibre is indigestible, but assists in keeping our children’s digestive systems healthy. It also helps ensure blood sugar levels stay stable.
Veggies
The list of possible options are nearly endless!
Vegetables are severely underutilized in North American meals. Adding 2-3 servings of veggies to your children’s lunch will get them well on their way to their daily requirement.
Herbs and Spices
Sweet spices like cinnamon or ginger, or savory spices like paprika, garlic and chilli are all options. Herbs like parsley, basil or dill are important as well.
Like vegetables, herbs and spices aren’t often given enough attention. They are low calorie, but as a group, offer huge amounts of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and phyto-nutrients.
Colour
We’ve all heard the saying eat a rainbow!
Not only will lots of colour make food look more intriguing for your child, but different colours indicate different nutrients, and consuming a variety of nutrients everyday is vital.
Water
Staying hydrated is just as important as staying well-fed. So, pack a reusable water bottle in your child’s lunch box!
I’ve put together 4 amazingly healthy lunch ideas that you can send with your children come back to school time! Check them out:
Roasted garlic brussel sprouts, steamed beets and carrots, sunflower seeds, coconut pancakes, Artisana chocolate spread, pineapple and blueberries.
Cucumber slices, grape halves, steamed asparagus, tuna salad, pickles, chickpea chapatis.
Zucchini “sushi”, hardboiled egg, three bean salad, balsamic dressing, cinnamon sunbutter dip, sliced apple.
Cherries, roasted paprika cauliflower, banana and pumpkin seed butter “sandwiches”, mixed green salad with balsamic dressing, meatballs and tomato sauce.
For all these healthy lunch ideas in once place – check out this awesome Freebie.
Once you’ve tried some of these healthy lunches, let me know what the kiddos in your life thought in the comments down below!
Leave a Reply