Ideas and inspiration to help you make a healthy lunch for kids
That midday pitstop is a really important meal time 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
Keep portions small, be guided by your child’s appetite. 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
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
HEALTHY LUNCH FOR KIDS: AGES 5-11
Once children are at school, their midday meal will either be a lunch box, or bought from the school cafeteria.
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, provide your own healthy packed lunch 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.
