If your kids are anything like mine, as soon as we leave the house or arrive at the beach or park, they inevitably ask – “What’s to eat mom?” So my number 1 rule for getting through the summer holidays is being prepared, which means having a lunch box full of healthy and tasty treats handy, wherever we are.
To help me pack a delicious and nutritious Summer lunch box for my kids I keep this 6 tips in mind.
1) Smart swaps: Think about what store-bought/ processed foods your child likes to munch on and look online for similar snack recipes you can make at home. Processed foods are filled with preservatives, white sugar and additives, which aren’t great for growing bodies and minds. Making your own, means that you know what goes into the food and you can use ingredients that are more nourishing E.g. natural sweeteners such as honey / maple syrup / coconut sugar.
Gia Janks in action at one of the workshops organised by ‘Healthy Workshops Malta’
2) Practical portions: Most kids like to pick up something small, eat it quickly and run off to play- Keep everything bite-sized.
3) Consider quality: Pack food that’s nutritionally dense- Make each bite count.
One of the snacks prepared during a workshops organised by ‘Healthy Workshops Malta’
4) Taste and texture: Does your child like to eat food that’s crunchy or soft & mushy or smooth? Keep this in mind when you pack their lunchbox.
5) Colourful crunchables: Try to incorporate snacks in a rainbow of colours to include more diverse nutrients also making them more visually appealing to your little ones.
These crunchy and colourful Chickpeas and Beetroot CRISPS s are one of the recipes shared by Gia Janks on her page ‘Mixing it Malta’
6) Prioritise packaging: I love a lunch box with compartments – It makes it simple to pack various small snacks and easy for little fingers to choose what they want.
In collaboration with BuzyMummy, I will be sharing a new exciting recipe every week that is easy to make at home and sure to be a hit in your kids’ lunch-boxes. So stay tuned and follow us to make sure you don”t miss a recipe!
Follow Gia Janks on Facebook: Mixing it Malta and Healthy Lunchbox Malta
