Make the most of the midday meal

Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, but lunch is a close second. The contents of your child’s lunchbox will ensure a steady stream of nutrients flowing to the brain, keep blood sugar levels on keel, and instill lifelong healthy-eating habits.

The rules of thumb: aim for a balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, and keep sugar, salt, and saturated fat to a minimum. Go for visual appeal with a variety of colours, shapes, and textures.

Protein packs punch

Sandwiches fuse the all-important trio of protein, carbohydrate, and fats.

Test out these combinations: nut butter (peanut, almond, or sunflower) and fruit-only jam, egg salad, tuna salad, tomato and cheese, cream cheese and apple slices, and turkey and cranberries.Or, go à la carte with yoghurt, tinned salmon, hardboiled eggs, soya jerky, cheese slices or string cheese, baked tofu cubes, bean and cheese mini-wraps, hummous or taramasalata pitas, mixed nuts, and energy bars.Complex carbs—Don’t leave home without them

Don’t shy away from complex carbohydrates. Children’ rapidly growing brains and bodies need the fuel.

Look for snacks made with whole grains. Sesame and wild rice sticks, breadsticks, pretzels, corn crisps, cereals, and biscuits are good choices.The USDA Food Guide Pyramid recommends five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Sneak in a couple at lunchtime: pick fresh fruit that travels well, such as apples, pears, oranges, bananas, pineapple, seasonal berries, plums, peaches, and grapes. Vegetables are a tougher sell for finicky palates. Pack sliced carrots, celery, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, or broccoli along with a zesty hummous dip or tzatziki.Dried fruit is a treasure trove of fibre, iron, and trace minerals. Reach beyond raisins—try dates, apricots, cherries, bananas, papaya, and mango.Just desserts

Treats that satisfy the sweet tooth while achieving your nutritional goals abound. Try one of these:

Digestive biscuits (preferably made with whole wheat flour), fig bars, muesli bars, or a piece of chocolate.Fruit salad with a dash of yoghurt and cinnamon, or apple sauce sprinkled with raisins.What to drink? Keep high-sugar fruit juices to a minimum or dilute them with water. Opt for water or protein- and calcium-rich soya milk or cow’s milk. Think small

Some children are overwhelmed by large amounts of food, so make servings small and simple.

Cut sandwiches into easy-to-eat quarters.Buy in bulk and transfer foods to reusable one-serving containers.Cut fruit and vegetables into slices or small hunks.Purchase mini-carrots, small tortillas, and kid-size biscuits and snacks.Think creatively

Be inventive. Play with your food. Your children will catch on that eating can be fun.

Dust off your pastry cutters and make fun shapes in slices of cheese, bread, or apple.Spice it up! Try a dash of cinnamon in apple sauce, or lemon pepper on a turkey sandwich.Introduce new flavours. Nori, a type of seaweed, makes a salty, crunchy snack. Sweet potato or vegetable crisps can be an exotic, yet healthy, change as well.Think themes. Combine a bean and cheese mini-wrap, tortilla crisps, and a mini-container of salsa. For the adventuresome palate, try a few pieces of sushi (the cooked variety), soybeans, and rice biscuits.Switch out sandwich bread with an English muffin, tortilla, bagel, rice cakes, nan bread, foccacia, or pita bread.

Make lunchtime a memorable affair for your children with a little forethought, a dash of imagination, and a sprinkle of variety. Bon appétit.

Sandwiches fuse the all-important trio of protein, carbohydrate, and fats.

Related reading

Food PyramidsHealthy EatingFood LabelsWhat Does "Organic" Mean?Childhood Obesity

Kathleen Finn

Kathleen Finn is a Portland-area freelance writer and marketing consultant in the natural health industry. She is on a constant quest to creatively stock her daughter's lunchbox.

2007-09-01