LUNCH BOX INSPIRATION

Needing some inspiration for those lunch boxes? If your child is old enough, involve them in the making and they will be less inclined to return home with a full lunch box. Make sure you have a selection of healthy food for your child to choose: ^18a

• Whole-grain breads or crackers
• Peanut and almond butters
• Light canned tuna fish
• Raw vegetables that can be cut into slices
• Fruits
• Encourage the kids to make sandwiches with whole-grainbreads or bagels
• Try different sandwich fillings

You can improve nutrition and taste by: 18b Adding shredded carrot or chopped celery to egg salad or tuna salad. Combine chopped grapes with diced chicken and mayonnaise for a tasty chicken salad. Add a sliced banana or apple to peanut butter sandwiches.

User-friendly easy to eat foods are important, especially for younger children as there may not be much time at break.^18e Try to include food from at least 3 food groups: protein, carbohydrate and either fruit or vegetables: ^18c

• Tortilla wraps with shredded cheese, chopped chicken, and cut vegetables
• Egg salad, whole-wheat bagel, and fruit
• Whole-grain roll with butter or margarine, 2 hardboiled eggs, and carrot sticks
• Tub of low-fat yogurt, whole-wheat crackers, and fruit
• 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter, whole-grain crackers or bagel, and fruit or vegetables
• 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese or hummus, whole-grain crackers, and cherry tomatoes
• 1-2 slices leftover thin crust cheese pizza and fruit or vegetables

For a healthy treat try: 18d Baked potato chips Home-made toasted pita bread chips Pretzels Trail mix or raisins Whole-grain cereal Nuts or soy nuts Sunflower seeds Fig bars