Our Little Learners Blog

Ideas for a healthy lunch box

Below are suggestions from the food groups that you can include in lunch boxes to help keep Bright Blocks Preschool a healthy place to be.

 

Please do not include nuts as some children may have extreme allergies within the school.

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Ensure grapes are cut in half length ways to avoid choking.

 

Choosing an item from each group will help to provide a balanced diet and help children towards the goal of five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. You also might like to include some of these ideas in your lunch box.

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Cereals, breads and starches

• • breads such as wholemeal, pitta, granary, tortilla wraps, bagels, or soft grain bread.

  • whole-wheat muffins or muffins made with fresh fruit such as banana, dried fruit or cheese muffins

  • rice, noodle, couscous or pasta-based salads

  • potato salad (use light salad dressing or mayonnaise with fat-free yogurt)

 

Protein foods

• • lean cold cuts (ham, beef, chicken, tongue or vegetarian alternative)

  • grilled chicken pieces (wings or drumsticks)

  • cooked, chopped or minced meat or chicken/turkey

  • homemade hamburger patties (use lean mince)

  • meat or fish spreads and paste

  • fish: cooked flaked, tinned e.g. tuna or pilchards or sardines

  • beans, such as kidney beans or hummus

  • boiled eggs

 

Milk and dairy foods

• • yoghurt (plain mixed with honey and nuts or fresh fruit, or ready-made flavoured, low-fat varieties)

  • cottage cheese (try flavouring with piccalilli, mashed banana or avocado or dried fruit)

  • cheeses (all types, use grated or cut into cubes)

 

Vegetables

• • carrot or celery sticks, baby tomatoes, cucumber wedges, lettuce

  • vegetable muffins (grated carrots and baby marrows can be added to a basic muffin mix).

  • Vegetable soups (keep hot in flask) some vegetable soups can contain high levels of sugar and salt.

 

Fruit

• • fresh fruit e.g. apples, pears, oranges, plums, peaches, grapes (cut in half), lychees, mango, pineapple

  • mashed banana (add lemon juice to prevent discolouration)

  • dried fruit

 

Here are some suggestions for sweet items and drinks. Be aware that some fruit yogurts, fromage frais and rice puddings can contain high levels of sugar; it is always a good idea to check the nutrition label.

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Sweet treats

• • fruit yogurt

  • fromage frais

  • a pot of rice pudding

  • fruit scone

  • fruit bun

  • oat cakes

  • whole wheat biscuits

  • piece of fruit cake

 

Drinks

• • water

  • milk

  • fruit smoothie

  • yogurt drink

  • homemade milk shakes (puree fruit with low-fat milk, add honey and/or vanilla flavouring)

  • pure fruit juice, still and sparkling

 

Tip: If you want to introduce new food to your children it can often help if you involve them in lunch box planning and/or shopping.