Your child will need a good meal in the middle of the day to help them process all the new things that they are learning. And the choice is either they take in a packed lunch from home or they choose a hot dinner in the school canteen. Both have their pros and cons.
Sending your son and daughter to school every day with a full lunch box gives you control of the food they eat. But it’s another job to do each morning when time is already precious and it can be hard to keep the options interesting for your child. School dinners mean you know your child is getting a hot meal at lunchtime, but if you are leaving them to choose from the canteen menu you can’t be sure they will select something nutritious. For some of you the decision may be influenced by whether your child is entitled to free school meals. This is normally the case if you are in receipt of benefits such as Income Support, Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit. The local council can tell you if your child is able to get free school meals.
In recent years, schools have put a lot of effort into revamping their dinners, especially after celebrity chef Jamie Oliver highlighted the issue in 2005. He started his Feed Me Better campaign because he was appalled by the junk food being served at many schools in England. It led to new guidelines for school dinners and the Government investing £280 million on improving menus for youngsters. Now all schools have healthy eating policies, which are reflected in the menus on offer for pupils. They also cater for different diets and allergies as well as for different religious faiths and beliefs.
Some have cashless systems where children use a card or even their fingerprint to buy their food each day after parents have paid money into their account. The benefits of this are that it means children do not have to carry cash on them each day. It also allows parents to monitor what their child is eating at school because they will know what has been purchased on their account.
Many parents still choose to send their children to school with a packed lunch, especially if they prefer to eat a hot meal together as a family in the evening. It also means they know exactly what their child is eating each day and they don’t have to leave it up to them to make healthy choices. There are lots of ideas online if you’re not sure what to give your child.
TOP TIPS FOR A HEALTHY PACKED LUNCH
The NHS’s Better Health campaign has provided these top tips for healthy lunches. Freeze for variety – Keep a small selection of different types of bread in the freezer so you have a variety of options.
Cut back on fat – Pick lower-fat fillings, like lean meats (including chicken or turkey), fish (such as tuna or salmon), lower-fat spread, reduced-fat cream cheese and reduced-fat hard cheese. And try to avoid using mayonnaise.
Always add veg – Cherry tomatoes, or sticks of carrot, cucumber, celery and peppers all count towards their 5 A Day. Adding a small pot of reduced-fat hummus or other dips may help with getting kids to eat vegetables.
Ever green – Always add salad to sandwiches and wraps too. Cheesy does it… Cheese can be high in fat and salt, so choose stronger-tasting ones – and use less of it – or try reduced-fat varieties.
Cut down on crisps – Try reducing the number of times you include them in their lunchbox, and swap for homemade plain popcorn or plain rice cakes.
Swap the fruit bars – Dried fruit like raisins, sultanas and dried apricots are not only cheaper than processed fruit bars and snacks but can be healthier too. Just remember to keep dried fruit to mealtimes as it can be bad for teeth.
Switch the sweets – Swap cakes, chocolate, cereal bars and biscuits for malt loaf, fruited teacakes, fruit breads or fruit.
