No matter how you cut it, everyday sandwiches get boring pretty quickly. School and work lunches don’t have to be boring or unhealthy. They also don’t have to be expensive or overly creative. A healthy lunch just needs to be nutritious and varied.
Since food allergies and childhood obesity are a concern for some families, knowing what foods to pack can be challenging. Combine the need for healthy foods and busy schedules, and you’ve got a recipe for frustration about what to pack for your child’s school lunch, not to mention what they’ll eat at work.
And since many children also attend day camps during the summer months, preparing lunch can be a chore throughout the year.
While most of us would like to cut back on processed rather than packaged foods, many simply don’t have the time to prepare all of our foods from scratch, try a variety of different recipes, and pack them in individual sized containers. of a serving.
Convenient foods are a must for most of us. When I say convenient, I don’t mean overly processed and packaged varieties, I just mean foods that are quick and easy to prepare and pack as a healthy lunch. Additionally, recipes with a limited number of ingredients require only a few steps to prepare. Homemade hummus and guacamole are two perfect examples.
Picky eaters and food allergies can also deny ideas of healthy lunches. While not all foods will work in all lunch boxes, there are some basic ideas that will work for any family member who needs a packed lunch.
One of the main ingredients of a healthy and varied school or work lunch is a good food container (s). You can’t beat a quality insulated food jar that doesn’t leak and keeps food hot or cold for an extended period of time. Imagine the appeal of a meatball submarine (turkey meatballs on whole wheat bread), vegetarian chili or crispy salads and cold soups on warm days.
Do you need insulated food cans but don’t know which ones are best for your family’s needs? Compare prices, compare features and prices before making a purchase decision. Whether shopping locally or online, I frequently visit sites like Amazon.com to read customer reviews before making a purchasing decision. When it comes to food jars, choose brands like Thermos and Mr. Bento, which generally have good ratings and lots of testimonials from satisfied customers.
As for what to pack, take your kids grocery shopping and explore the aisles. Start a discussion about which foods and which combination of foods appeal to you the most.
If you want your kids to be more adventurous when it comes to food, set an example by trying some new foods as a family. You may be surprised how well a new food works. Try a new food each week, for example, avocados; add to salads, sandwiches, or use as a healthy dip for baked tortilla chips or whole grain crackers.
Encourage young children to try different foods by turning them into a game. Select a new food each week based on a different color of the rainbow from a different letter of the alphabet.
When it comes to snack convenience, think beyond your typical bag of potato chips and explore other satisfying, crunchy snacks like brown rice or fried lentils and things like whole grain pretzels or cereals that you pack as a breakfast to go.
Increase the nutritional value of everyday foods by incorporating a new ingredient like flaxseed in smoothies, muffins, breads, salads, yogurt, and cereals. Whole flaxseed is a good source of fiber. (crunchy in milk and yogurt) and when is land (grind whole flaxseed with a coffee grinder, blender, or food processor) has omega-3 benefits.
For nut-free settings such as daycare centers and schools, experiment with alternative protein sources like quinoa. (sharp-wah). This protein-rich super grain contains a healthy balance of essential amino acids. It is gluten free, a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorous, easy to digest, and high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa can be served hot as a breakfast cereal or cold as a salad.