Do you need a lunchbox helper?  Are you forever wondering what to give your child at school lunchtime?

Having a healthy lunch as a growing child is extremely important.  Some of the benefits include:

• Maximising nutrient intake to support growth and development
• Refuelling them after a long morning of learning & play
• Helps give them energy throughout the afternoon
• Provides brain food for learning and doing well at school

In addition research has shown that it can support behaviour, mood, memory, attention span and healthy digestion* and we all want that for our children don’t we?

The following elements should be included in a healthy lunch:

• A variety of micro nutrients such as iron, calcium, zinc, vitamins A,B, C, E, K etc
• A source of protein (meat, fish eggs beans etc) as this is the building blocks for growth & energy and filling
• Good fats – which are great for the brain
• Complex carbohydrates as these are a great source of fuel
• A range of colours – this helps the lunch look appealing and is more likely to be eaten and enjoyed
• NO ANTI NUTRIENTS such as refined sugars, damaged fats, food additives or toxic minerals  as these undo benefits of the nutrients  and are linked to behavioural issues, mood, poor memory, disease etc

Packing a healthy lunch into a BPA free plastic or metal lunchbox is also ideal.  BPA is contained in some plastics and is a toxin which is thought to be damaging to health**

So, now you know why the lunch is important and what sort of things may be added to it……now click on the link below for a free lunchbox planner which will give you realistic ideas on what the lunch should look like.  Let your child see this too – getting them to make choices may help them to accept the changes to their lunch better.

lunchbox helper <– click on this link

If you are interested in learning more about how to improve nutrition for you and your family please do consider my tailored family nutrition sessions.  More information is available on the website

Janet x

 

References

• *Belot, M & James, J (2009) Healthy School Meals and Educational Outcomes. Institute for Social and Economic Research
• **Rochester JR (2013) Bisphenol A and Human Health: A review of the literature., Reproductive Toxicology