In our fast-paced world, parents usually do not have enough time to cook lunch for their kids. If you do not want to avail of the lunch meals offered by your kid’s school, you can still create a simple yet healthy lunch for you child. Here are some tips:
- It should be a complete meal – A good lunch includes a variety of food choices. Listed below are the important ingredients for a healthy deli lunch:
- Fresh Deli Meat or Poultry – Proteins from meat and poultry are essential in your kid’s growth. If your kid likes sausages and hams, make sure that they are nitrate free. Do not stick to one type of deli meat. It is better to give your kid a different meat or poultry each day.
- Crackers or Bread – Carbohydrates from bread or crackers give your kid enough energy to keep them active in school.
- Fresh vegetable sticks or slices – Kids usually love carrot and celery sticks. You can serve these with a dip so your kid would enjoy eating them. If you do not have time to slice vegetables, you can buy pre-cut vegetable slices from the groceries. These are the ones which are usually used for salads.
- Fresh fruits – These are good sources of vitamins and minerals. You can teach your kid to eat varieties of fruits like apples, bananas, berries, and oranges. Surprise your kid each day with a different fruit.
- Cheese Slices – You can give mozzarella or cheddar cheese to your kid. They are also good sources of nutrients such as calcium, which makes your kid’s bones stronger.
- It is all about the colors – A good lunch is both pleasing to the eye and tongue. Your kid would not eat the lunch that you have prepared if it does not look tasty and appetizing. Learn how to play with the natural colors of food. Young kids are usually attracted to bright colors. You can combine a pale chicken meat with green veggies and colorful berries.
- The food should be bite-sized and easy to chew – You should cut the meat, crackers, vegetables, and fruits into small slices that can easily be chewed and swallowed by your kid. Also, you should make sure that the meat is soft enough for your kid.
- Use a lunch box with divisions – This can help you organize the food easily. You do not want your fruits to mix with the vegetable dip or meat sauce. Also, an organized lunch box can help you easily identify which types of food your kid usually does not consume.
- Add a healthy drink – Aside from water, you can also give your kid a bottle of fresh fruit juice or milk so they can avoid drinking powder juices or soft drinks.
Preparing lunch for your kids can give you an assurance that they are eating healthy, delicious meals. You, more than anyone, know the taste and food preferences of your kids. However, if you really do not have enough time to prepare food in the morning, you may choose to buy fresh deli meals for kids from groceries like Walmart.
