How to pack the perfect packed lunch!
All this week on Good Morning Britain we're preparing you for the end of the summer holidays - when the kids go back to school!
But what's in a healthy packed lunch? And what's best to pack to make sure your children get what they need to get them through the day? Here's lunchbox doctor Jenny Tschiesche's guide to the perfect packed lunch...
1. The carbohydrate portion
These foods are a group of foods that include pasta, rice, bread, potatoes, oats and some lesser known foods such as quinoa and buckwheat
In simple terms they provide the body with energy, hey do this by breaking down into sugar in the body which we then use as our energy source
Ideal carbohydrates for a lunchbox:
Pitta Pockets (with a filling of a protein such as egg or tuna and a vegetable such as sweetcorn or tomato)
Wholegrain pasta (with cream cheese, pesto or tomato sauce and cookedvegetables)
Multi-grain wraps (with a filling of a protein such as cheese, ham or hummus and a vegetable such as lettuce or cucumber)
Malt Loaf (with butter or cheese)
Rice (as a rice salad with vegetables and a dressing)
New potatoes in their skins (made into a potato salad)
Flapjacks (sweet or savoury)
Popcorn
Tortilla chips
2. The protein portion
The protein group of foods includes fish, eggs, chicken, turkey, ham, beef, sausages, beans, chickpeas, lentils, cheese, yogurt as well as seeds and nuts
In simple terms protein does two things – improves muscle growth, development and recovery from exercise and also speeds up wound healing, so if your child has a cut or a graze this would be a good reason to think about ensuring they have sufficient protein in their diet
Idea proteins for a lunchbox:
Cold, lean roast meats such as beef, pork, lamb or chicken
Dips made from pulses e.g. hummus, white bean dip
Cheese, cream cheese, yogurt
Good quality sausages – ideally 90% meat or more
Eggs – boiled, or made into an omelette, frittata or mixed with rice
3. The calcium portion
We have probably all had the fact that calcium is important for bones and teeth drummed into us from an early age ourselves, even though we, and often our children, are aware of this many 9-13 year olds are still deficient
Ideal calciums for a lunchbox:
Carton of milk
Yogurt – ideally natural yogurt with a topping or fruit puree or fresh or frozen fruit added to reduce intake of simple sugars
Cheese
Spinach muffin
Broccoli spears with a cream cheese and garlic dip.
Sesame seed bars
Seed bars
Hummus
Nut bars (if nuts allowed in your child’s school)
Flapjacks with seeds and nuts (if nuts allowed in your child’s school)
Nuts (if nuts allowed in your child’s school)
4. The fruit portion
In simple terms fruit provides energy in the form of natural sugars, fibre which helps with keeping our digestive systems healthy, and an abundance of nutrients that help support a healthy immune system
Ideal fruits for a lunchbox:
Banana, apple, orange, pear
Berries, cherries
Nectarines, peaches
Figs with cheese
Dried apricots with sunflower seeds
Apple and cinnamon muffin
Carrot cake (home-made so you know how much carrot has gone into it!)
Apple puree (mixed into yogurt)
5. The vegetable portion
Vegetables are one of the toughest elements to include in their lunch boxes. Most children have some vegetables that they don’t enjoy eating, for the younger and more discerning taste-buds, the slightly bitter taste of dark green vegetables can put them off, however, salad vegetables such as carrots, sweetcorn, crispy lettuce leaves, cucumber and pepper sticks are often well received
In simple terms vegetables, similarly to fruit, provide a natural energy boost as well as fibre and an abundance of immune-boosting nutrients to help ward off illness
Ideal vegetables for a lunchbox:
Crudités i.e. carrots, peppers, cucumber chopped into sticks (served as they are or with a dip like salsa or hummus)
Vegetable muffins and flapjacks
Olives (with cubes of cheese or filled with cream cheese (using an icingbag))
Sweetcorn (mixed into tuna and mayonnaise as a sandwich filling oralone)
Tomatoes, olives as a pizza on a stick (with cheese, pineapple and hamon a cocktail stick)
Beetroot (plain or pickled)
Root vegetable crisps
6. The drink portion
Whilst water is the most obvious and best choice of drink for a lunchbox it is often not the preferred choice of children
In simple terms a drink keeps our bodies hydrated
Ideal drinks for a lunchbox:
Cartons of milk
Cartons of juice
Home-made fruit smoothies or milkshakes
Shop-bought fruit smoothies
Fruit juice
Water
Fruit juice and sparkling water mixed