As the long holidays have ended, students are heading back to school nationwide. For parents it is a tough time to resume school routine. Even though school essentials (uniform, shoes, stationary box, books, and bags) have been purchased in advance, a worry that occupies most of the mothers is the planning what she needs to pack for lunch for her child.
Mrs. waseem, a mother of a primary school student says, "What should I keep in my little one's tiffin tomorrow is one of the biggest back to school worry for me."
Likewise, Mrs. Ahmed complains, "I could not compromise on nutrition value of foods, but I really hate to see food left in the lunch boxes when kids come back from school because they did not feel like eating it."
So what to do to make the kid's lunchbox tasty, without compromising on its nutrition value?
Why lunchbox?
Junk foods, fizzy drinks sweets, and candies are easily available in school canteens and cafeteria. These foods are contributed to childhood obesity and severely affect their immune system. Junk foods are loaded with sodium, salts, and sugar so that they can have a longer shelf life. All these ingredients are very harmful to the human body and can cause serious health issues.
Artificial food additives (colours, preservatives, and flavor enhancers) in packaging foods can cause adverse reactions, including child's behavioral problems. A study has also found food colourings (particularly red, yellow and orange), and the preservative sodium benzoate, can cause hyperactivity in some children.
While, a wholesome nutritionally adequate lunch box prevents the child to indulge on fast food or packaged and processed food available in school canteen. A child who brings lunch box has been shown to fall sick less often and has improved school performance.
A child spends almost 4-5 hours in the school and thus need energy and stamina to stay active throughout the day. Children are more attentive, tend to perform better in school when their stomach is full, and are not hungry. Empty stomach can lead to lethargy and sleepiness.
Hungry children are more prone to catch Behavioral, emotional and academic problems. Studies have also shown that being hungry reduces a young child's tolerance to frustration, and can make them more prone to tantrums and behavioral issues.
A wholesome meal would provide adequate energy besides confirming to the intake of vital nutrients. A regular supply of healthy foods is important to ensure mood stability, positive attitude, and better classroom performance.
Choosing foods for a healthy lunch is easy:
Planning and preparation of child's lunchbox at home is not a difficult task. There are many food choices available for lunch boxes.
Usually children like sandwiches, however, if your child does not like sandwiches, consider packing some whole grain crackers. These days, tortillas are also available in superstores. If your child likes tortillas, pack one or more of those.
Most kids love chicken nuggets, so if you want your kids to eat their school lunches, packing chicken nuggets for school lunch will definitely help. If your children love to eat pizza, make a healthy version of pizza at home with a wheat base, lots of vegetables and cheese.
Whole grains are important sources of beneficial nutrients like protein, fiber, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Add whole-wheat egg paratha in your child's lunchbox for peak performance, and to concentrate well inside and outside the school. Egg Paratha is a healthy, filling, and protein-packed lunch. Scrambled eggs stuffed in the paratha are also an easy and healthy choice for children lunch box.
Fruit offers so many health benefits, such as antioxidants and fiber, so add some fresh, sweet fruit into the lunch box.
Consider food safety:
When preparing lunch, never forget to wash your hands first. In addition, teach your child to wash his hands properly before eating his lunch. When it comes to packing school lunch boxes, it is important to keep the food safe for kids. Dangerous bacteria can rapidly build up in food that is not kept at a safe temperature. When you pack that lunch and send it off to your child in the morning, it can have unsafe amounts of bacteria by lunch time.
If your child brings home a partially eaten sandwich, or other food that she/he did not finish, throw it away. Young school-age children generally eat small portions of food. Do not pack large amounts of food in your child's lunch. This will also save you from having to throw away a lot of food at the end of the school day. Children are prone to catch the germs easily therefore give special precautions to food safety measures for example, Wash cutting boards and counter surfaces and utensils thoroughly with hot water after preparing raw meat, poultry, and fish, which can harbor dangerous bacteria such as salmonella. If possible, consider using one cutting board for vegetables and fruits and a separate one for raw meat and poultry.
Opt for safe reusable lunch containers and packaging that can be washed and sanitized, such as reusable sandwich boxes. Pack sandwich items separately so they do not get soggy.
Lunch box ideas
Vegetable toast:
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
makes 16 pieces (4 out of 1 slice of bread)
Ingredients:
four slices of bread
four medium boiled potatoes
1 cup finely chopped vegetables (Onion, Capsicum, Tomatoes etc.)
1/2 tsp red chili powder
salt to taste
2 tbsp chopped coriander
oil for shallow frying
Method:
1- Mash the potatoes. Add all the vegetables, spices, green chilies, and coriander to the mashed potatoes.
2- Take a bread slice and cut it into the desired shape. You can cut it round, rectangular or square.
3- Spread mixture on both sides of the bread. Heat a non-stick pan and grease it lightly with oil.
4- Cook on both sides until golden brown just like pancakes using a little oil. Repeat with all the remaining slices of bread.
Potato cultets
Ingredients:
-- Potatoes: six medium sized (wash thoroughly with skin on)
-- Egg: one
-- Salt: to taste
-- Black pepper: to taste
-- Cumin powder: one table spoon
-- Lemon: one
-- Red chili powder: to taste
-- Green onions: two chopped
-- Breadcrumbs: 1/2 cup
Method:
1- Boil the potatoes with the skin on. Mash into a smooth paste
2- Add salt, black pepper, red chili powder, green onions, cumin powder and breadcrumbs.
3- Squeeze a lemon on top. Beat an egg separately and add to the mix.
4- Now take small balls out of the mix and shape into patties. Fry the patties
Sweet chapatti:
Ingredients:
-- 1 cup shredded coconut
-- 2 cup wheat flour
-- 0.50 tsp salt
-- 0.25 cup sugar
-- 20 gems almonds
-- 10 gems cashew nuts
-- 5 gms pistachios
Method:
1. In a wide bowl add wheat flour (atta), salt and mix well. Powder the nuts finely using a blender. In a bowl add the powdered nuts, shredded coconut and sugar mix well.
2. Add water gradually and make soft dough. Cover the dough and set aside for 20 minutes.
3. After 20 minutes, divide the dough into small balls and roll into the small thick circles using a rolling pin.
4. Place a spoonful of coconut filling in the center and seal the edges and trim off the excess.
5. Dust with flour and roll again into a flat thin circle shaped chapati.
6. Place rolled chapati one at a time on hot skillet and cook until the brown spots appear. Flip and cook on the other side until the colour changes.
7. Apply ghee or butter on one side of the chapatti