The vacations are over! Back to school is just around the corner and it’s time to get back into our routines and start the school year on the right foot!
This return to reality also means preparing lunches for the week, which can quickly become a headache for many parents. How to make them varied, balanced and, above all, loved by children?
Alison Caron, dietitian-nutritionist for Provigo, gives you 5 practical and easy-to-apply tips to optimize your kids’ lunches.
1. Get inspired
To avoid repeating the same recipes over and over again, be open to new ideas. Be on the lookout for what’s around you, for example, recipes from friends or from Coup de Pouce that have proven to be successful with children, or cookbooks with various themes: Thai, vegan, slow-cooker, etc.
“The Internet is also full of ideas for perfect lunch dishes. Visit the pages of influencers specializing in children’s cooking, get inspired on Pinterest or subscribe to Facebook groups that exchange cooking tips, without putting too much pressure on yourself to make the perfect lunch,” mentions the dietitian-nutritionist.
2. Equip yourself properly
Any parent who has to prepare lunches deserves to be well equipped in order to not only make the most of their time in preparing meals, but also to vary the menus and the types of food in the lunch box.
“First, I suggest having several plastic dishes of various sizes. These containers are also useful to easily divide food – for example, cut fruit – into several portions ready to go rather than in a large container that you will have to dip into every day,” says Alison Caron.
The dietitian-nutritionist also recommends having reusable bags on hand as well as ice packs to keep food cool. A good thermos is also a must-have accessory to keep meals hot: “It should be able to hold one cup for younger children, and two cups for teenagers.”
The type of lunchbox can also make life easier for parents. “To maximize space, opt for those that can hold multiple dishes or even bento style boxes with different compartments,” she says.
3. Learn to plan
If you plan menus ahead of time, it will be easier to create a complete grocery list so you don’t forget anything. Another way to make the most of your time is to cut up vegetables for the entire week and put them in single servings in take-out containers.
According to Alison Caron, planning lunches for the week is the key to avoiding the pressure of rushed mornings and ensuring you have all the nutrients you need to fuel your children. For example, it’s great to take advantage of dinner prep by doubling the portions. Another simple way to save time!
4. Focus on good snacks
“To optimize concentration during learning, children need to meet their high nutritional needs. However, they have small stomachs, so snacks are perfect and provide stability in energy levels between meals,” confirms Alison Caron.
For nutritious snacks, opt for fresh fruits and vegetables, the vitamin pros! As for yogurt and cheese, they provide support because of their high protein content. A home-baked muffin with healthy ingredients is also a great snack.
5. Add some fun
According to the nutritionist-dietitian, don’t underestimate the power of fun. “It’s good to add a sense of fun to kids’ diets to make them want to eat their lunches in their entirety.”
One effective tip is to involve your offspring: “For example, including them in choosing foods at the grocery store or recipes, having them cut up their raw vegetables or inviting them to bake the week’s muffins with you.”
If you have time, put sweet notes in their lunchboxes, create fun shapes with their sandwiches or make broken-down lunches: the goal is to make mealtime fun.
