Lunch is the time of day when your children get to refuel, take a break, chat and play. In the United Kingdom, a recent survey of lunchboxes revealed that 3 out of every 4 failed to meet with nutritional standards. Our aim would be not to have the same statistics here! The foods you eat as a child can have a positive or negative effect on our future health. A lot foods, particularly fruits and vegetables and fish oils, have a preventative effect on our health, if these foods are eaten regularly as a child, the cumulative effect on their future health will be a positive one. The same applies for unhealthy food, not only are you developing a taste for these foods but they also have a cumulative effect which could result in poor health in the future.
You as the parent need to be aware of the types of foods and quantities required for a sound nutritional meal but your child will ultimately be the decider of whether it will be eaten or not, so you must find out what their likes and dislikes are. Explain why it is important to eat healthy food and go through the choices there are and then between both of you, will come up with compromises. Here are a few tips to ensure that your child’s lunch fits the bill.
The Food Pyramid illustrates how our daily intake of food should be apportioned. For lunch the same principles apply.
The bottom shelf is for the Carbohydrate rich foods. This is the biggest shelf as it supplies our energy so therefore we need to eat food from this group the most. Typical lunch foods from this group are: bread (use a variety e.g. granary, rolls etc), bagels, pitas, rice, pasta, potato etc. Crackers and breadsticks are also a good choice. Popcorn (provided it is permitted in school) and oatcakes make a healthy treat.
Where possible use Buckley bread as this will give your child a slower release of energy and more fibre, if your child doesn’t like the texture you can get whole-white bread which is half and half Buckley and white. As mentioned already, try and use Buckley/whole grain varieties and also vary the sandwich with rolls, pita breads and bagels.
The next group is the Fruits and Vegetables shelf. We need to ensure that at least 5 portions of F&V are eaten daily. Fruits and vegetables are so important for a healthy diet. They contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients called phyto chemicals along with fibre. The preventative benefits of fruits and vegetables have long been applauded and so it makes sense to encourage them at an early age so that taste buds are trained to like them!
Vitamins and anti-oxidants in particular are extremely beneficial for a healthy immune system, which will protect against colds and bugs. It is also important to introduce F&V as an everyday occurrence to foster good eating habits for the future. Adding a piece or two of fruit into the lunch box or salad vegetables in the sandwich and perhaps a carton of juice will ensure that you are reaching that quota. Grapes and mandarins are easy for little hands to manage. You could also add dried raisins as a treat and if your child is old enough some carrot sticks but be careful not to give to smaller children, as it may be a choking hazard.
The next shelves we’ll look at are the Protein and Dairyshelves, which could be in the form of meat, chicken, turkey, fish or eggs. Dairy products are in the form of milk, cheese, yoghurt, etc. Protein is essential for growth and repair. It contains amino acids which are the building blocks of our organs, skin, hair, nails etc. Meat should be as lean as possible with all visible fat trimmed off. Try and avoid salami’s etc as they contain a lot of saturated fat. Meat is also a great source of iron, which is vitally important for the transport of oxygen around the body; Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron more readily so include some citrus fruit or juice. Dairy products would be the most common source of calcium in the diet. It is important for children to have calcium for growth, healthy bones and teeth, for a healthy heart and blood clotting. Low fat yoghurts with no added sugar are a good choice along with rice pudding as a treat.
The last group in the food pyramid is the oils, fats and sweets group. This needs to be the least represented food group as we know saturated fat, and butters and margarines along with sugary sweets and drinks and chocolates etc. contain a lot of unwanted fat, sugar and salt. We need to limit the amount of sugar, salt and saturated fats from our children’s menu as well as our own. Most of us are aware of the sugary and fatty foods and there has been a marked improvement in the awareness of these foods. Remember not all fats are bad, steer clear of saturated fats, which tend to be from an animal source or hydrogenated fats, which will be found in biscuits, cakes, confectionary etc. Unsaturated fats tend to be from a plant-based source like olive oil, sunflower oil etc. and are extremely beneficial to our heart and our blood. Fish oils are particularly good for us as they contain Omega 3 oils, which can help prevent heart disease and attacks. Encourage oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and trout up to twice a week for girls and 4 times a week for boys. Avoid marlin, shark or swordfish as they have high levels of mercury. Oily fish is also a great source of vitamins A and D, important nutrients for skin health, immune function and bone formation.
We also need to look out for salt as it is beginning to show itself as a real health threat. Too much of it can damage our kidney’s and lead to high blood pressure which in turn can affect the health of our hearts. Children can only consume 2-3 grams of salt per day, half the amount of adults. 75% of the salt we consume comes from the processed food we eat such as breakfast cereals, biscuits, crisps, ready meals etc. Read the label and go for low salt varieties, get used to cooking without it and don’t add salt to your child’s food, their taste buds, kidney’s and hearts will thank you for it.
However, that said, it is quite all right to add a little treat, ‘little’ being the operative word! Examples would be a fun size bar, low salt/fat crisps, plain popcorn, low salt biscuits, homemade biscuits (you can control the amount of fat, sugar and salt), stewed fruit, low sugar/fat yoghurts etc. We all need a little treat and it is something to look forward to!
Another important part of your child’s diet is water. Hydration plays a big part in concentration levels and overall good health. You should try and encourage plenty of water throughout the day, at least eight glasses. If taste is an issue, flavour it with some fruit juice or a squeeze of lemon or orange. The water in milk and juice is also beneficial so encourage those too. Fizzy drinks should be kept to a minimum as a treat as they are packed full of sugar and are extremely damaging to teeth. Smoothies are a great option as you can pack loads of fruits into one drink! You can have fun experimenting with different combinations of fruits and juices. Add some natural yoghurt or yoghurt drink for increased nutrition.
If boredom prevails in the sandwich department there are a few different options, try rice or pasta salads, sprinkle some pumpkin, sunflower and/or sesame seeds for texture and essential fatty acids. If you make something for dinner like homemade pizza, quiche or omelette, the left over pieces could be eaten cold the next day. Soups are a lovely alternative and just like smoothies you can pack so much goodness into just one meal with lots of different types of vegetables. Add some barley, lentils, rice or pasta to make it more substantial. As mentioned before, be careful not to add salt to the meals.
Above all, it is important that your child has a healthy attitude towards food. In my experience, children that are healthy eaters have parents that are too. Children tend to copy their parents and so if they see you eating and enjoying a healthy diet, they more than likely will too.
Emma Buckley B.Sc
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