Lunchbox Quick Guide

School just started! How about a quick guide on what to send the kids? 

​I have to start by saying that there is not a perfect lunchbox that is going to work for everyone, it will depend on the child´s age, hours he or she spends in the School or Kindergarten and, of course, the rest of the meals. But, ideally, a lunchbox should be the source 4 types of nutrients:

1. Carbohydrates = Energy: tubers (for example potatoes, sweet potatoe), cereal (like wheat, oatmeal, rice, amaranto, corn, etc.) and all of their derivates (crackers, noodles, cookies, etc.)
2. Protein: egg, legumes (f.e lentils, beans, peas), nuts (peanuts, walnuts, almonds, etc.), meat (chicken, pork, beef), milk and dairies.
3. Fibre and micronutrients: basically, fruit and vegetables.
4. Water: the best thing to send is pure water.

​So, in order to make a “complete” lunchbox we could have 3 columns, for example, I could choose the following options for each:

​Potato slices

Sweet potato chips

Smash potatoes

Corn

Popcorn*

Corn tortillas

Wheat tortillas

Amaranto bars

Rice

Rice crackers

Pancakes

Noodles

Homemade muffins

 “Churritos” or occasional “treat”

​Eggs

Milk

Nuts and seeds (over 6 yo)

Chicken “nuggets” (homemade)

Fish (sticks, tuna, etc.)

Cheese (Oaxaca)

Cheese (Manchego)

Lentils

Beans

Peanut butter

Peas

Quail eggs

Yogurt

Beef

​Apples

Bananas

Mandarins

Nectarines

Grapes

Berries

Carrots

Tomato

Lettuce

Avocado

Asparagus

Seaweed

Broccoli

Bell pepper

And then just ad one of each column. We could start in order or start mixing and change some “part” for equivalents. I could, for example, choose “wheat” and instead of the tortilla, use it to cook something with eggs and veggies and make, a veggie lasagne, for example. In the last column, I could choose more than one option to make a salad. I could converge tree “ingredients” into a sandwich and so on.
The amount to send will depend on each child, we are used to the “1/2 fruits and/or veggies + ¼ protein +1/4 carbs” distribution of the “healthy plate” but, that works better for 8 years old and older. In little children it will depend on the other meals. Does my child have for breakfast the same distributions, or does she/he skip the fruit or the protein? In that case we could send the extra fruit in the lunchbox.

Does my child have enough time to eat her lunchbox in the school? Maybe I should prioritise what makes her feel satisfied? Does he eat enough veggies and fruits at home? What is easier for him to eat at the school?

​A few tips:

• Don´t send your child food he doesn’t like or that is difficult for him to eat.
• Check the “secure” options for some food if you have a toddler to reduce the choking hazard (for example, cut the grapes in halves, avoid nuts, etc.).
• Show your kiddo the “options” and let him plan with you some combinations.
• Don´t send the same things every day, she might get bored of it.
• Avoid sending same color items, children tend to eat better in colors.

I hope it helps!
​Mar