Wednesday, January 5, 2011

School Lunchbox Ideas



School Lunch Box Ideas
Children need to eat a variety of foods everyday to stay healthy, so it is important to pack their lunch box with foods that are good for them and taste great too.

A lunchbox should always include:

  • At least 2 pieces of fruit (fresh, dried or tinned)
  • At least 1 serve of dairy food such as yoghurt, milk or cheese
  • At least 3-4 serves carbohydrate-rich foods such as bread, crispbread, grain and fruit based bars, pasta, etc.
Here are some healthy lunch, snack and drink ideas to fill their lunch boxes.

Lunch Box Lunches
  • Bagel with Vegemite and cheese
  • English breakfast muffins with tomato and cheese
  • Pita bread with peanut butter, grated carrot and cheese
  • Corn or rice cakes with peanut butter
  • Cold pasta spirals mixed with salad vegetables and lean ham
  • Mini pizza with cheese and pineapple
  • Sandwiches with various fillings such as:
    o Vegemite and cheese
    o Lettuce, grated carrot and cheese
    o Peanut butter
    o Tuna/chicken/ham with mayonnaise
    o Avocado or cream cheese and salad
    Hint: cut sandwiches into different shapes for younger children and vary the bread from day to day, eg. white, wholemeal, rye, bagel.
Lunch Box Snacks
  • Fresh, dried or tinned fruit or fruit salad – bananas, apples, pears, mandarins, nectarines, grapes, sultanas, dried apples or apricots
  • Uncle Tobys grain and fruit based bars
  • Grissini sticks (thin Italian bread sticks) with cheese dip
  • Crackers with spread
  • Plain popcorn
  • Fruit muffins or fruit loaf
  • Cheese sticks
  • Yoghurt
    Hint: freeze yoghurt overnight to prevent bacterial growth
  • Carrot and celery sticks with cheese dip
  • Sultana and peanut mix or mixed nuts
  • Small can of baked beans or spaghetti
  • Creamed rice with fruit
  • Hard boiled egg
  • Pikelets or scones
Lunch Box Drinks
  • Water
  • 100% Fruit juices or vegetable juices
  • Flavoured or plain milk (Longlife)
    Hint: frozen water or tetra packs can be used as a freezer brick to keep foods cold such as yoghurt and meat.

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