mothers
April 20, 2024
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How to assemble a healthy lunchbox for children

Children's diets need to be healthy indoors and out, especially at recess. As difficult as it may be to convince little ones not to consume treats, stuffed cookies, chips, and other processed foods, it is important to encourage them to eat well from an early age.

For this, mothers, fathers, grandparents, nannies and any other adults responsible for preparing the snack of the little ones can use some strategies. Check out some tips now and learn how to build a healthy lunchbox for children.

The first strategy for children to be more interested in healthy food in the lunchbox is to vary in food and always choose colorful ingredients to make the meal much more fun, tasty and with all the nutrients the child needs.

The snack should have foods from all groups: protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and fats. But all just right, no exaggeration.

To set up the lunchbox menu, it is also necessary to take into account the time when the child goes to school. For those who study in the morning, the menu should be more complete, as most do not have the habit of eating for breakfast. The lunchbox should contain a protein, liquid, fruit and carbohydrate. For children who study in the afternoon, the ideal is to choose only two of the options mentioned above.

Invite your child to help with food selection and snack assembly. This will give you a better understanding of what the little one's favorite foods are and will make him or her interested in everything that is being placed in the lunchbox.

A tip to encourage children to eat the snack, is to facilitate the consumption. Chop the fruits into cubes, spread the sandwich in half, do everything you can to encourage the little ones to eat everything that has been placed in the lunchbox.

Suggested food for lunchbox

Drinks: For children to eat healthier, avoid putting soda in the lunch box. Prefer beverages such as natural juice without sugar, yogurt, chocolate or coconut water.
Breads: Natural sandwiches should be prepared with wholemeal bread or biscuits. In order not to get too caloric, prefer to curd and add slices of turkey breast or ham, white cheese and tomato.
Cereals: Cereals are nutritious foods and children love them. To put in the lunchbox, store in a plastic pot an amount that is not exaggerated or bet on cereals in packages that already bring the right portion for the consumption of a meal.
Fruits: Besides being healthy, fruits are fresh and do well. Complement the snack with your child's favorite fruit. To encourage you to consume and taste new flavors, prepare a fruit salad, preferably with fruits that don't spoil after slicing.
Sweets: Sweets can even be part of a children's lunchbox, but provided they are placed in a controlled quantity only once or twice a week. Avoid processed or high sugar products. Offer healthier options such as a small or medium slice of homemade cake, wholemeal bread or toast with jam.
Avoid as much as possible: The excessive consumption of goodies, stuffed cookies, snacks, fried foods and soda. This is bad for children's health and may contribute to childhood obesity. Avoid eating these foods not only in the lunch box, but also in everyday life.

Lunchbox Care

Your child's lunchbox should be chosen not only for its model but for its quality. Before you buy, you need to make sure that the product is thermal to keep food stored until recess time and is ideally sized to accommodate your child's food and drink.

To keep everything always well kept in the lunchbox, you need to wrap the sandwiches and other food in film paper, then put in a plastic pot. For the drink, especially natural juices, the bottle must be thermal and tightly sealed to conserve the vitamins of the fruit.

Keep your child's lunch box always clean. Preferably clean daily. Remove the plastic pots, bottles and other utensils and leftover food from the lunchbox, then wipe it with a damp alcohol cloth to make it clean and ready for use the other day.