Easy tips for a healthy school lunch-pack

Making a lunch-pack for your little one is not always easy, especially packing a healthy lunch box. Stop thinking of lunch as one big meal and think of it in four little sections: protein, whole grains, fruit, and vegetables.

Here are some easy tips to help you create a healthy, yet still delicious-looking lunch-pack that they will love.

Choose one out of each section and start there.

Here are some serving suggestions for each category:

•Protein:

Peanut butter/ Nut butters

Lunch meats like turkey and ham (find a nitrate-free brand if you can)

Hard Salami

Cheese

Hummus

Nuts and seeds

Hard-boiled eggs

Cottage cheese

Yoghurt

•Whole grains:

Whole-grain bread mini pita pockets

Tortillas and/ or wraps

Crackers

Tortilla chips

Homemade muffins

Pasta

Beans

Popcorn

•Fruit:

Apples

Oranges

Grapes

Bananas

Don’t forget the occasional treat like freeze-dried fruit, homemade dried apple slices or even fresh smoothies

•Vegetables:

Olives

Carrots

Tomatoes

Sugar-snap peas

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Salsa

Cucumber

Homemade pickles

•Optional dessert:

Roasted coconut chips

Dark chocolate chips

Chocolate-covered nuts

Interesting food makes children curious, and that will lead to them eating the healthy food choices. To get their attention, focus on shapes. Cut fruit into different shapes – use a cookie cutter. You can even add edible glitter.

Examples of some healthy lunch combos:

1. Homemade – hard salami with slices of cheese on the side, with whole grain crackers, veggies, frozen organic strawberries and cherries

2. The Classic – wholegrain bread spread with peanut butter and honey, chocolate covered assorted nuts (cupcake wrappers make easy dividers), veggies, cottage cheese and pineapple on the side

3. Chips and Salsa – chips (you can even use tortillas or Doritos) with home made salsa (mashed avo, with a pinch of salt. You can even add tiny pieces of tomato), pinto beans, apple sandwich, and Greek yoghurt on the side