Healthy Lunch for Kids

They’re hungry, and willing to eat, and it’s a golden opportunity to get some good, healthy food into them.

Sandwiches are fine, but they can get boring day after day.

Try these ideas for healthy meals for kids, to bring some variety into their diet.

HEALTHY LUNCH FOR KIDS: AGES 1-4

Chop or mash food for very small children. Try giving young children their main, cooked meal in the middle of the day, and a lighter meal in the evening when they’re usually tired and less willing to eat.

• Fingers of bread-crumb coated fish or chicken, baked in the oven and served with peas and potato wedges - as in this oven-fried fish recipe.
• Shepherd’s pie with fresh vegetables
• Roast chicken with vegetables
• Pasta with meat or vegetable sauce
• White fish, baked, poached or microwaved, with cheese sauce
• Chicken or beef casserole, with vegetables
• Good quality, low-fat sausages with mashed potato and baked beans
• Vegetables cooked in a tomato sauce and served with rice or cous cous
• Baked potato filled with grated cheese or shredded ham
• Dessert is an important element of a healthy lunch for kids: fresh fruit wedges, fruit yoghurt or fromage frais, trifle made with fresh fruit, stewed fresh or dried fruit, bananas and custard, fruit crumble or crisp, baked apples, or try these healthy desserts.

HEALTHY LUNCH FOR KIDS: AGES 5-11

Check what’s on the menu at school – despite publicity about the poor quality of school meals, not all have cleaned up their act. If chips and shaped, coated chicken/fish products feature too heavily, use your own healthy lunch box ideas instead.

What about lunch ideas for weekends, and school holidays? Left to their own devices, kids will often graze, and end up having too much unhealthy stuff. Try to make a habit of organizing lunch for them – kids get hungry, and if you put healthy food in front of them, chances are they’ll gobble it up.

• Make piles of vegetable sticks, and serve with a selection of dips - homemade hummus, avocado dip, salsa or tsatsiki. Add warmed wholemeal rolls
• Pancakes always go down well, with fillings kids can sprinkle on themselves
• Make a big omelette with potatoes and onions, or other vegetables, and serve warm, in wedges
• A simple boiled egg or two, with toast fingers
• Baked beans (low sugar/low salt) on wholemeal toast
• Home made pizza – let them build it
• Baked potato, with various toppings
• Buy or make a wholemeal loaf, warm it and slice. Place on the table with wafer-thin cheese, chopped peppers and shredded lettuce, tomato wedges, low sugar/salt peanut butter, and let them make open sandwiches
• Bubble up a big pot of healthy soup and serve with bread
• Make toast, top with grated cheese and sliced tomatoes and microwave for a few seconds until the cheese melts – known as a Melted Special in our household!

Add these suggestions to your usual repertoire of sandwiches, and you’ll never be stuck for healthy lunch ideas for kids.

Good Food Matters