Packing A Balanced Lunchbox | with Rachel Horn
A well-balanced lunchbox can make a huge difference to your little one’s mood, energy, and focus throughout the day. These tips aren’t just for school lunches; they’re also perfect for playdates, daycare, or any time your toddler needs to take food with them.
Ideally, a balanced lunchbox includes all three macronutrients: Fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, as well as a variety of micronutrients, like vitamins and minerals. Here are some ideas to make lunches both nutritious and delicious:
Crunch and Sip
Offer a rainbow of seasonal fruits and vegetables; the brighter, the better. They’re packed with fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
A fun way to encourage your child to try new produce is to take them to the local farmer’s market. Let them choose some fruits and vegetables for their “crunch and sip.” This not only makes the experience exciting but also helps them feel involved in their food choices.
Morning Tea
Add homemade snacks that are both nutritious and tasty, such as banana bread, bliss balls, muffins, pancakes, and muesli bars. Ensure snacks are nut-free if this is your school’s policy.
Add extra vegetables when baking, such as grated carrot, zucchini, or cooked pumpkin. Use spelt flour and natural sweeteners like honey or coconut sugar. Consider making a double batch and freezing extras in airtight containers. This keeps healthy snacks ready for lunchboxes, playdates, or after-school nibbling.
Packing The Three Macronutrients
Fats help aid digestion and support the absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K:
- Add in nut-free seed butter, like sunflower or pumpkin seed butter, instead of nut butter when baking
- Include a few slices of cheese in wraps, crackers, or mini muffins
- Mix chia or flax seeds into homemade pancakes, muffins, or muesli bars
Protein helps fill your child up and supports concentration throughout the day. Ways to add protein include:
- Make mini frittatas or egg muffins with vegetables
- Add shredded chicken or beans to pasta, rice, wraps or sandwiches
- Make meatballs or small meat patties to sandwiches for lunchboxes
- Include yogurt, cottage cheese, or cheese sticks as a snack
Carbohydrates provide energy to keep little bodies active and minds focused. Practical ways to include carbohydrates:
- Make small sandwiches or pinwheels using wholegrain wraps
- Serve roasted sweet potato, pumpkin, or carrot sticks as finger food
- Make mini pancakes or waffles using oats or spelt flour
- Use brown rice cakes or wholegrain crackers for dipping in hummus or yogurt
Practical Lunchbox Tips
- Pack lunches for all your children at once, even if they are at home. It saves so much time and means you don’t need to prepare a second meal later.
- Involve your child in preparing their lunch. They can help choose fruits and vegetables, pack containers, or add ingredients when baking.
- If lunchboxes return full, ask why. Sometimes ingredients went soggy, containers were tricky to open, or they simply didn’t like a particular item.
- Give choices to empower your child, like “Would you like strawberries or chopped apples in your lunch today?”
- Make sure your child can open containers on their own. Practise together if needed.
- Include an ice brick to keep foods cold and a paper towel for moist foods like wraps.
- Use separate containers to prevent dry foods from getting soggy, for example, crackers and watermelon.
With a little planning, lunchboxes can be that bit easier to prepare while still giving your child the fuel and energy they need to get through their busy day.
