G et C o o k i n g - I S S U E 0 9
Great ideas
for stress-free lunchboxes
Nutritionist Chloe Steele provides inspiration for healthy, filling school lunchboxes that your kids will actually eat!
I
f you dread the thought of a whole week of lunchboxes every Monday morning, then you are not alone. Finding nutritious and appetising foods that will withstand the rigours of the schoolbag is not an easy task. I speak to numerous lunchbox makers in the playground and most of them have run out of ideas, are exasperated by the whole experience and are desperate for some tips to keep it interesting. So why are more and more children taking their own lunch to school? It has been 16 years since Jamie Oliver first visited school canteens and highlighted the terror that is the Turkey Twizzler – thankfully a lot has changed since then. Improvements in food quality and education have ensured that lunches in most schools aren’t simply about preventing hunger, but improving health, grades and athleticism. Despite this, one unforeseen outcome has been that many parents and carers lost faith in the Great British school lunch and started sending children with a packed lunch, as it was seen as the healthier option. However, the reality www.FamilyFirst.co.uk
is that only 1% of packed lunches meet the nutritional value that schools are required to achieve with cooked lunches.1
The playground has become a battleground, with schools, parents and students all hotly debating what constitutes healthy food and what should be included in a lunchbox The playground has become a battleground, with schools, parents and students all hotly debating what constitutes healthy food and what should be included in a lunchbox. Everything from cakes and biscuits to packets of crisps are now being banned due to their high levels of sugar, salt and saturated fat, which
unfortunately often leads to lunchbox shaming and a huge amount of confusion. What we, as the lunchbox makers, need to focus on is the fact that what goes in the lunchbox needs to be eaten and will keep our children healthy and attentive during lessons.
KEEP IT SIMPLE AND PLAN
Many of us plan our weekly evening meals, however, fail to do the same with lunchboxes. Planning can save you time, stress and money. Keep it simple and base your planning around a starchy carbohydrate like the nut-free pesto and tomato pasta recipe (see page 95) or some sort of wholemeal rice, cereal or grain. Then add in a fruit and some vegetables, some protein and a water bottle. Carbohydrates are often vilified as the reason for weight gain, but the reality is that carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy, which is especially important in growing children. Combining carbohydrates with other food groups ensures that they are gradually absorbed, resulting in level blood sugar and a child who can concentrate. FA M I LY F I R S T - W I N T E R 2 0 21/ 2 2
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