Since becoming a mom responsible for packing food for Zoe at school, I have spent some time researching what children should be getting in their lunch boxes. Let me tell you now, it’s a tricky business! There are so many websites with people telling us that if we don’t give our children this or that we are bad parents and our children will get sick and never grow and never learn. What we have decided though, is to take bits and pieces from these web sites, from consultation with a dietician, and from our own lifestyle, and create lunchboxes that work for Zoe.
In grade R Zoe was diagnosed with ADHD. That throws a whole new spin on the type of food she should and shouldn’t be eating in general but especially what she eats at school. Children with ADD/ADHD are typically very sensitive to sugar, preservatives and colourants. Added to this sensitivity (which limits our options a bit) is that the medication for ADD/ADHD causes anorexia in the hours after taking it. (Anorexia is the official term for loss of appetite.) This means that Zoe is never really hungry during the day at school. For a while, she wouldn’t even open her lunch box, she was so disinterested in what was in there. After a few years of experimenting, changing medication dosages, searching for new foods to try and loads of encouragement and stories of “this will help you grow/get smarter/swim faster” we have finally found the formula that works for us, and I will share it with you!
All children should start the day with a solid breakfast. Cereal is not a good breakfast. Coco pops, rice krispies, milo, corn flakes – none of these will provide enough good energy for your child. They create a short term sugar high which will only last for the first hour or so that they are at school. By the time first break or snack time comes around these children are either starving, or falling asleep at their desks because the sugar high has now become a sugar low, causing their energy and concentration levels to plummet. Here is what you should be giving your children for breakfast:
Oats (not the flavoured instant ones, good old fashioned ones with full fat milk and honey or brown sugar.) You can add sliced fruit to this too.
Low GI bread toasted with peanut butter. It is great with banana sliced on top.
Egg!!! Whether you scramble, fry, boil or poach them, eggs are a brilliant way to start the day. Serve them with low GI toast with butter and you are off to a winning start.
Fruit salad with full fat yoghurt, sprinkled with nuts and seeds.
Breakfast muffins – recipe is here.
When it comes to your child’s lunch box, it is important to try cover all of the food groups each day. Yes, this is not always possible due to finances/time etc, but it should be at the back of our minds when we are shopping each week. Some ideas of good foods to pack into your child’s lunch box are:
A sandwich on low GI bread with peanut butter, jam, cheese, or any meat. (Chicken mayo, ham, egg mayo etc.)
A piece of fruit – any fruit will do! On days when your child is doing sport after school, your go-to option should be a banana. They are given to Comrades runners for a reason! Try and avoid all dried fruit that is sugar coated!
Depending on what you put on their sandwich, some sort of meat protein is good to include – think biltong, dry wors, salami, a chicken drumstick etc.
Full fat yoghurt – any flavour. (Try and avoid the chocolate/caramel ones, and the ones with sprinkles!)
Breakfast muffins
Cheese, again try and avoid the processed and pre-packaged ones, you can cut a few cubes of cheddar or gouda at home and pop it into their lunch boxes with crackers
Biscuits or rusks – a muesli or bran rusk is always a nice snack to munch on. Biscuits can be great too, as long as you choose the right kind. The less lumo it is, the better. 2 romany creams or chocolate digestives will make a great treat for the lunch box. (We aren’t trying to deprive them!)
Popcorn – whether you pop it at home or they buy it from the tuck shop, it’s a great snack for kids and they all love it!
Crudités – slice up some cucumber, carrots, baby tomatoes etc. If they are happy to eat them plain, great! If they need some sort of dip – try hummus or a tomato sauce/mayo mix.
Nuts – whether you choose peanuts (which are the best choice as they are high in natural fats) cashews, almonds or any other, they are a great addition to any lunch box. A peanut and raisin mix is also perfect for school!
I have found a few new products which I have asked Zoe to score. Bear in mind that she is an extremely fussy eater, and has always preferred to stick with plainer flavours (think vanilla ice cream – no sauce or sprinkles, plain salted chips etc.) I believe all are quite ok to include in our children’s lunch boxes! Remember, we are trying to give them a healthy variety of foods, and this includes some treats!
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I have found these amazing chips at my local Spar, they are so much better than regular nik-naks! With no artificial flavours or colours and no MSG I really hoped Zoe liked them, as they would be much better than any other chips I’ve found! Zoe has given them a score of 10/10. In her own words “These chips are nice because they are just plain salty, they don’t have hectic flavours in them that I have to taste in my month after break. I eat them and I don’t feel too full so I still have room for my other lunch. And I think all the other children will also want to wear them on their fingers like rings because that’s so much fun!’
These biscuits are from Woolies and were such a HIT! They also got a 10/10 and Zoe even got 3 friends to try them too and give their scores. Obviously she saw the pictures of the veggies on the packet, but she hid it from her friends and they all said they were delicious. It might be necessary to rather pack them in a container so the smarter/older kids don’t get put off by the veggies!
Zoe has always been a peanut butter fan, and these are a much easier version of peanut butter biscuits. (I say easier, because you don’t have to bake them!) They are great for an after school snack before an extra mural, and Zoe scored them an 8/10.
The Jambo biscuits aren't new on the shelves, but I have always overlooked them as they seemed too sweet for Zoe’s taste. On a grocery shop with her, she pointed them out and said she would like to try them. I was completely surprised to hear how much she loved them! She gives them a 9/10.
Just like I tell my clients who start A New Weigh, it is important to try things out until you find a routine and menu that works for you. If you know you are rushed in the morning, pack their lunches the night before. If you want to shake things up a little, introduce new items into their lunch boxes slowly and one at a time. It will take some trial and error, especially if you have a picky eater or have been sending a lunch box that doesn't include any healthy options.
What do you typically pack in your children’s lunch boxes? Please share any ideas you have or winning recipes! Also, while we are on the subject - please go read Natasha's post on children's menu's when eating out here.
*Please note that the above is based on recommendations from dietitians and a pediatrician I have consulted, and might not be the same advice you would be given for your child. When in doubt please consult your pediatrician or dietitian for extra help.