When children head off to school, they are away from the family home for at least
6 hours, sometimes more. During this time, your children need to be provided with nutrients and energy that is essential for them to learn, grow and play. This is when the “lunch box” takes centre stage.
Preparing the lunch box can be a daunting prospect for parents. Having a bit of a plan can ease the burden, and satisfy even the fussiest eaters. Children like to snack, so filling the lunch box with a variety of food items will encourage them to eat, and lead them towards a balanced diet. Preparing the lunch box at home will set a good example to your child. Your child will begin to learn what types of food are considered healthy, and what they need to eat to get through their day.
At this early stage in your child’s life, the backpack lunch bag parent is responsible for helping to educate and inform family members about healthy food choices. This will set up your child’s eating behavior for their adult life. A school aged child learns quickly and is easily influenced by family and friends. Generally, they want to do the right thing, and love to be praised for it.
So with this in mind, packing a healthy lunch box can become a great learning tool. Get your child involved, let them help prepare the food, and decide what goes into their lunch box. They will be more likely to enjoy what they are eating if they played a role in packing it.
With childhood obesity on the rise, it is important to help your child to make the right food choices, now. A healthy well balanced diet will put your child on the path to reaching their full potential and boost their immune system to ward off illness.
The school day is a long one, and nutritious food enables them to concentrate and stay focused in the classroom, while having energy for play time.
Always start the day with a healthy BREAKFAST, and follow that up with a healthy lunch box.
Your child will learn to eat what is familiar, and in time they will become used to the healthy lunch box, and look forward to it.
As your child moves through the school year, they gain independence, have pocket money to spend, attend parties and will take visits to the canteen. As a parent, you want them to reach the stage where they are confident to make healthy choices on their own, and be aware of the foods that are considered special occasion treats. It is all about balance, and the occasional treat is not going to do any harm.