If mom or dad constantly hears from the child: “I don’t want it, it doesn’t taste good, I won’t eat this!”, it becomes a challenge not only to offer healthier food alternatives at home, but also to pack a lunch box for school. Nutritionist Dr. Edita Gavelienė states that the food placed for lunch should first of all look aesthetically pleasing, be comfortable to eat, not stretched and not rubbed. According to Olga Suchočeva, head of commercial operations, the retail chain has a lot of snacks in its menu that are suitable for children and perfectly complement breakfast or dinner, and shares their ideas.
How many times a day should a child eat?
According to dietitian Dr. Edita Gavelienė, the family’s eating habits should be developed in the child from an early age: try to ensure that he drinks at least a liter of water per day, eats as varied food as possible – every day, regardless of the season: garden and vegetable products, dairy products, whole grain products and at least a couple of times a week a week of lean meat or fish. Legumes should also not be forgotten.
“A child should eat three main meals and two or three snacks. Breakfast and dinner should make up 20-25 percent. daily calorie norms, lunch – 30-35%, and snacks – 10% each. It should be kept in mind that fruits, which children usually eat willingly, do not replace vegetables – it should be practiced to taste them, as diverse as possible, from an early age. In addition, it is very important to develop an eating regimen, so you should not skip breakfast at home or at school, although children often tend to refuse it.
The first meal of the day is very important, it should consist of complex carbohydrates, which will provide energy, and proteins, which will act as a building material and slow down the digestion process a little, keeping you full longer. Whole grain porridge, an egg with whole grain bread or cottage cheese are perfect for breakfast,” says the nutritionist doctor.
Breakfast box – without buns
While many parents try to pack healthier snacks for their kids at school, some argue that it’s better to pack something your child will actually eat, like a few muffins or a smoked sausage sandwich.
“If we put a bun, the child may be happy, but if he eats it, he will feel early hunger, and he will not get useful nutrients – only easily digestible carbohydrates, which are not a necessary component in the child’s diet. So, various vegetable sticks, which are convenient to put in a jar and eat, are perfect for lunch, as well as berries, fruits, a slice of whole grain bread with cottage cheese, pieces of hard cheese. However, when adding food, the most important thing is to think about how many useful substances will be in it,” advises a health-friendly nutrition consultant.
Healthy snacks will provide satiety
In order for the child’s lunch to be nutritious, unhealthy foods should be avoided. “Such a box should contain as many pure foods as possible, containing carbohydrates, fats, proteins and vitamins, fiber and minerals. Smoked, salted, canned, confectionery, sweets, potato and corn chips, sweetened drinks, as well as fried, deep-fried products or food rich in sweeteners, preservatives, dyes should be avoided. Also, if the food a child’s parents eat is not classified as a healthy food, it is difficult to expect a different choice from their offspring. Often, children eat the food served at school, even if it is wholesome, reluctantly, they refuse some products, so it is important how they eat at home in the evening and on weekends, as well as what snacks they bring to school,” observes Dr. E. Gavelienė.
A nutritionist shares three ideas for a school student’s lunch box:
Option I:
Option II:
Option III:
Children’s favorite snacks
Operations manager Olga Suchočeva suggests adding cucumbers, cherry or plum tomatoes, crispy small carrots, multi-colored peppers to lunch boxes: “Children like small or larger vegetables cut into sticks. At the beginning of autumn, the variety of fruits is also pleasing – children always eat them willingly, so it’s worth trying the less common ones as well. We have a wide range of nuts and dried fruits, their mixtures – they will diversify the lunch ration.”
The expert advises parents to stop at the shelves of the Lithuanian farmer’s products department “Vikio” and put organic flax seed crisps, chickpea crisps with vegetables or spirulina, apple cheese, vegetable and fruit crisps, sugar-free corn sticks with beets or carrots in the basket: “For a student’s lunch flax seed breads with bananas or crackers with vegetables can also travel in the box.”
Culinary technologists offer to bake healthier banana and date cupcakes with dried apricots together with the children.
RECIPE
Banana and date cupcakes
You will need:
3 bananas;
150 g of dates;
200 g of yogurt;
1 teaspoon of soda;
50 ml of agave syrup;
2 eggs;
200 g of corn flour;
200 g of chopped, soaked dried apricots;
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
How to produce:
Delicious!
Source: Thumbs
