Lunch box ideas

Here are some handy hints for preparing your child’s lunch box.

Try and include all the food groups from the governments ' Balance of Good Health'.

Carbohydrate- wholemeal roll
Protein- ham, turkey, chicken
Fruit & vegetables- salad in sandwiches and a piece of fruit
Dairy - yoghurt, cheese

Prepare lunches the night before to save rushing in the morning

Use less butter or margarine, this can be done by using spread on just one slice of the bread and also use thicker slices of bread as they are more filling and you will use less spread.

Add salad to sandwiches, ensuring it is fully dry to avoid soggy sandwiches. Perhaps package it separately eg a carrot and cucumber sticks with some homous dip

Use low fat versions of mayonnaise and salad dressing

Use low fat sandwich fillings, eg ham or turkey, tuna, salmon, cottage or Edam cheese or low fat mozzarella

Sandwich fillings don’t just have to be savoury, try using fruits such as bananas, berries or a mixture of apple with low fat cheese

Use wholemeal bread as it contains more fibre than white, however white bread is a good source of calcium. To encourage your child to eat wholemeal bread, make sandwiches with a slice of wholemeal bread and a slice of white

Drinks - use still or sparkling water, semi skimmed or skimmed milk or unsweetened fruit juice. Avoid fizzy drinks and squashes, even low sugar versions as they can damage your child’s teeth. If you’re feeling adventurous why not try making a fruit smoothie using natural yoghurt and your child’s favorite fruits such as raspberries and kiwi.

Healthy Desserts

Sources of calcium:

• low fat and low sugar yoghurts
• small pots of low fat custard and rice pudding

Dried fruit such as raisins and apricots or canned fruit in natural juice all count towards 5-a-day.

Do you have a handy tips for lunch boxes? We would love to hear from you.

Email us info@bracesbakery.co.uk