What should we pack in our children’s lunch boxes?

Children need to eat a variety of foods every day to get the required nutrients that are needed for healthy growth and development. School-age children (ages 6 to 12) need healthy foods and nutritious snacks. They usually eat four to five times a day, including snacks. School-age children are often willing to eat a wider variety of foods.

Lunch box components are:

Fruits – fruit plate,

fruit salad, fresh fruit

juices

Different types of sand-

wiches (cheese, peanut

butter, tuna, ham,

chicken, turkey etc)

Banana, pumpkin and

spinach fritters

Mini pizzas

Muffins – banana,

carrot, fruit etc

Callaloo soup,

cream of pumpkin soup

Baked sweet potato

or Irish potato fries

Pelau

Carrot sticks with

peanut butter

Chili with corn bread

Chicken fingers and

nuggets

Fish sticks

Homemade Granola

bars

Vegetable chow mein

Burgers (ham, turkey,

cheese)

Vegetable and turkey

mince lasagna

Turkey mince meat balls

Macaroni and cheese

Roti

Snacks:

Popcorn

Yogurt

Homemade popsicles

Fruit Trail Mix –

(peanut, popcorn,

raisins, cashews)

Tips:

• Start the day with a

healthy breakfast.

• Children need a

variety of different foods

from the six food groups

each day.

• Snacks are an

important part of a

healthy meal for

children.

• Make snacks

nutritious, not just

high in energy.

• Allow children

to assist with the prepa-

ration of food items.

• Serve meals at a

table, instead of in front

of the television.

• Let children tell

you when they’re full.

• Give your child

lunch to take from

home.

• Encourage

children to drink lots

of water.

• Serve veggies,

fruit or yogurt for

after-school snacks.

• Offer whole fruit

– it has more fibre.

• Introduce one

new food or vegetable

each week.

• Limit high-

calorie snacks, such

as candy, chocolate

and chips.

Prepared by:

Hazellann Hadaway,

Community Nutrition Officer