7 Healthy Tips For Your Kids Lunchbox

Next time you pack your child's lunchbox, take a look inside. How many different options of foods have you given your little one and what is the ratio of healthy food to junk food? It is so important to include a variety of healthy foods and snacks for your child to eat whilst they are at school. But sometimes it can be difficult to come up with new ideas for the lunchbox.

So to help, here are 7 healthy tips for your kid's lunchbox:

1. Keep it healthy - Fill the lunchbox with a variety of healthy foods. Be sure to include plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and try using a variety of different breads such as wraps or rolls using wholemeal or multigrain bread. Add protein fillers such as meats or fish and include dairy products.

2. Make it fun - place pieces of fruit in clear zip up bags and write a note or joke to your child on the front. This will make them excited about opening their lunchbox to see what note is left each day. Cut sandwiches in different shapes (quarters, circles, smiley faces).

3. Make it colourful - ensure there are plenty of fruit and vegetables in their lunchbox so it is colourful and healthy: - such as a ham and tomato sandwich, a fruit salad, vegetable sticks (carrot, cucumber), homemade muffin, cheese and crackers, juice, water.

4. Easy to eat - Cut up pieces of fruit for your child so it is easy for them to eat. Such as watermelon (cut into cubes), apples (quarters), kiwi fruit (circles), orange (quarters or peel the skin in a circle motion forming a long snake like ring that sits on the orange until your child is ready to eat it. Then they pull off the skin to eat the orange and the skin is in a snake ring - makes it fun for kids!)

5. Dunk & Dip! Cut up some cucumber, carrots or celery into small sticks and include cherry tomato. Then place all the vegetables into a container. In the middle of the container add a dip such as hommos or cheese. Make it fun for the kids, so they can dunk their food into the dip.

6. More than just cheese and crackers - When packing cheese and crackers as a snack option, opt for a cheese that you can cut yourself instead of pre-packaged. This way it gives you the freedom to choose a healthy cheese option and also to include add ons. Use a container from home and cut up some cheese and include cherry tomatoes, cucumber (cut into circles) and include crackers. That way the kids are getting more then just cheese and crackers.

7. Leave the junk out! - if you do not put junk food into your child's lunchbox high chances are they won't eat it! So leave out the junk and replace it with healthy foods such as fruit, vegetable sticks, yogurt, cheese or healthy muesli bars.