Healthy Food for Kids

By Dietitian, Juliette Kellow BSc RD

Food for Healthy Packed Lunches

Around half of all children take their lunch to school – that’s 5.5 billion packed lunches every year. Unfortunately, many of them are unhealthy!

According to a Food Standard’s Agency study, nine out of 10 packed lunches contain foods high in sugar, salt and saturates and fewer than half contain fruit. Here’s how to pack a nutritious lunch for your kids…

• Use wholegrain or wholemeal bread, rolls and pitta and try ciabatta, mini baguettes, bagels and raisin or sun dried tomato bread for variety
   
• Pack pasta or rice salads instead of sandwiches from time to time
   
• Cut fat by using less butter, spread or mayo in sandwiches and choose low-fat fillings like lean ham, turkey, chicken, tuna in water, cottage cheese, Edam or banana
   
• Add two portions of fruit – don’t just stick to apples and pears, though. For variety, add grapes, fruit salad, a slice of melon, a small box of raisins or a can of fruit in juice
   
• Include cherry tomatoes, carrot and pepper sticks and add salad to sarnies
   
• In the winter, fill a flask with vegetable, tomato or carrot soup – or even a casserole or stew.
   
• Replace cakes, biscuits and chocolate with scones, fruit bread or low-sugar cereal bars (check the labels)
   
• Swap fizzy drinks for water, unsweetened fruit juice, fruit smoothies, cartons of semi-skimmed milk or unsweetened yogurt drinks.

Healthy Snacks for Children and Teenagers

• Fresh fruit – chop it into bite-sized pieces for young children to make it easier to eat or buy packs of ready-prepared fresh fruit slices or chunks
   
• Mini boxes of dried fruit such as raisins or small packs of apricots or mixed fruit
   
• Small packs of chocolate-covered raisins or nuts (avoid giving nuts to young children because of the risk of choking)
   
• Chopped up vegetables such as carrot, celery and pepper sticks and cherry tomatoes with a favourite dip (look for those low in salt and fat if you’re buying ready-made dips)
   
• Fresh popcorn made without salt or sugar
   
• Wholemeal toast with peanut butter and banana or low-fat soft cheese and tomato
   
• Fruit smoothie
   
• Unsweetened yogurt drinks or a pot of low-fat fruit yogurt or fromage frais
   
• High-fibre cereal with semi-skimmed milk
   
• Wholemeal sandwiches filled with lean meat, chicken, tuna in water, cheese or egg and salad.
   
• Small packets of unsalted nuts and seeds – try mixing with dried fruit.