Preparing and Packing the Perfect Lunch for Your Kid

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When you have kids, you have a lot of responsibilities, commitments and chores to keep on top of. You’re going to find yourself providing for them financially, doing the school run to ensure they get a good education, dropping them to clubs and classes to promote their hobbies and interests and so much more. One routine task that many of us complete without really putting much thought into it, however, is preparing our kids’ lunch. Prepping the lunchbox has become so routine that many of us simple pack up the same ingredients in the same way, day in and day out, in a monotonous and machine-like way. Sure, you may not have too much time to do anything fancy, but here are a few ideas that can help you to create the perfect lunchbox for your kid, ensuring they get variety and enjoy their meals as much as possible!

Variety is Key

First, it’s good to know that you don’t have to make the same lunch every single day. Chances are, your kids will get bored of this and may begin to leave their lunches or trade at school for alternatives, meaning you don’t really know what they’re putting into their bodies. Some good ideas include sandwiches, pastas, noodles, sushi, baguettes, paninis, wraps, pittas and loaded salads or nachos. There’s endless potential, so why not come up with a meal plan at the start of the week to ensure as much variety as possible

Adapt for Dietary Requirements

You may find that your kid has dietary sensitivities, allergies or preferences. This may mean cutting out certain ingredients or elements of their lunches. But don’t simply remove these things. Instead, find alternatives that can keep lunch fun and ensure that your little ones are still getting their recommended daily amounts of everything they need. You could look into a xanthan gum substitute to create a gluten free cake. You could consider tofu, tempeh or other alternatives to provide protein in vegetartian or vegan diets. There’s always something else out there that will help!

Keep It Balanced

Sure, it may be tempting for whatever is premade and convenient to throw into the lunchbox each day, but often, pre-prepared foods aren’t the best quality. They may contain little nutrition and nasties such as excess saturated fat, salt or sugar. Instead, make sure that everything you’re including in your kid’s lunchbox serves a purpose. It should be balanced and as healthy as possible. This means incorporating fruit and vegetables, carbohydrates to keep up their energy levels and then a small treat to enjoy.

Remember a Drink

You want your kids to stay hydrated throughout the school day. If they don't have a drink with them or at least in their lunch, they sometimes forget to drink enough. Instead of worrying about it, make sure that they get sufficient liquids by including something healthy but fun in their lunch box. This could be a flavored water or a sugar free drink.

Hopefully, some of these tips will help you to create the best lunch possible for your kids when they are out of the house or on the go!