- What should a lunch box contain?
- Who should pack the lunch box?
- What goes in the lunch box?
- When is the best time to prepare lunch?
- How to make it even easier and more fun
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It is hard to please children, especially when it comes to food. Their taste buds are much more developed than those of adults and when little ones don't like to eat something it is almost impossible for us, parents, to force them to do so. At the same time, adults must ensure a balanced diet for their offspring. However, this proves to be not an easy task when the child refuses to eat he althy foods such as fruit and vegetables and instead likes sweets. Therefore, packing the perfect lunch box for your child is probably one of the most challenging tasks for you. But that shouldn't be a reason to despair.
You can also design a creative and tempting lunch box, and thus encourage your little one to enjoy a he althy lunch at kindergarten or school. Just get inspired and learn to offer he althy food, fun and appetizing. The tips and the plentiful images below will help you…
Children's lunch box: make sure your child eats he althily
What should a lunch box contain?
Hillary Wright, a Boston-based nutritionist and mother of three boys, recommends that the kid's lunch box should include at least three food groups. Since a lunch box consists mostly of starchy foods, make sure you include fruits and veggies.
What does a balanced diet mean?
It is also important to respect your child's tastes and preferences. That's why you should know his eating habits really well. Your task as a parent is to present boring but he althy food in a tasty and inviting way for the child to stimulate the little one's imagination and appetite.
Going to school with the lunch box
Who should pack the lunch box?
Nutrition experts agree: children should pack their own lunch.
So let your child choose their own meal and to prepare. In this way, the child can develop a deeper interest in food and help with cooking more often. This will not only make your work easier, but you will also be sure that all the food in the lunch box is to your child's taste. But don't give him liberty to search the pantry; start with limited options that include your child's favorite food.
Prepare the children's lunch box together with your child
It is advisable to keep a certain supply of food in the pantry, refrigerator or freezer. The idea is to always have a supply of food on hand and to be able to design a he althy lunch box with little effort.
The food should never be presented in a boring way
Perhaps you are afraid that your child will choose the same foods over and over again or reach for unhe althy ones. Then create some rules for your child to follow. For example, each specific food must be eaten a maximum of two times a week and then replaced with a new one.
Please don't forget a bottle of water!
For children, interest in food is a wonderful way to learn about he alth and nutrition. Cooking at home is the first step to he althy eating. Children feel supported when cooking and take great pride in the finished dishes, which they prepare alone or with a little help. Also, food is an excellent way to learn about the world around you - where ingredients come from, how different cultures eat, etc.
Opening the lunch box in kindergarten and enjoying he althy food together with friends
What goes in the lunch box?
Help your child pack a he althy lunch by creating a menu with choices for each food category. Print a photo of your child's lunch box and write four options for each food group.
For example, for protein, parents can list cashews, hummus, or protein bars. For cereal, parents can easily suggest whole grain crackers, tortillas, buns or muffins, etc.
The more children feel supported in the kitchen, the more fun they have there
When is the best time to prepare lunch?
First let's say when is the inconvenient time to do this - a few minutes before you go to work or school in the morning. A lunch box for lunch the next day should be packed in the evening right after dinner. For example, leftovers can make great lunch box additions.
Soups, stews, pasta and casseroles can be reheated in the morning. Roasted vegetables, salads (without dressing to avoid moisture), grains and cold cuts can be placed directly in the lunch box, ensuring a balanced meal for both you and your child
It's important to make lunch more interactive
How to make it even easier and more fun
To increase the fun factor, you can make lunch interactive. This is how you encourage your child to be creative too.
Let your child create a fun sandwich and experiment with as many foods as possible. Use a colored lunch box with several small compartments and let the little one organize their meal themselves.
The key to cooking with toddlers or preparing a lunch box is to be creative and just have fun doing it.
It's never too early to cook with toddlers and get creative with a lunch box
Let yourself be inspired by the following creative examples!
