Healthy packed lunch – what belongs in the lunchbox?
EggA healthy packed lunch made from whole grain products, fresh, juicy fruit, crunchy vegetables and dairy products, which offers some variety every day would be great. Because a boring packed lunch often remains uneaten in the lunchbox. You can consider the following for the packed lunch:
First and second breakfasts should complement each other: Those who can't eat much in the morning should take a larger packed lunch to kindergarten or school. Those who have already eaten a big breakfast at home don't need so much during the break.
Fluids:
Children need relatively a lot of fluids. Therefore provideat least 200 ml of beverage for the breakwith them. The best choices areWater with or without carbonation, unsweetened tea or diluted fruit juice.
Low-fat:
It's harder to learn on a full stomach. Avoid high-fat cold cuts like salami and rather top your bread with poultry. The same, of course, also applies to thefat content of cheese, quark or yogurt.
Fiber:
A sandwich on wholegrain bread or aa tasty muesli with oats– depending on whether your child prefers it sweet or savory – provides enough energy until the next meal.
Vitamins:
Fruit and vegetables should not be missing from the packed lunch. You can choose according to your child's taste and seasonal availability.
Dairy products:
For growth, children need sufficientcalcium, which they get bestfrom quark, milk or cheese.
Small dessert:
In some schools and kindergartens there are rules that, for example, ban sweets. You should definitely take these regulations into account when planning packed lunches.
With these tips, a little imagination and our ideas you can pep up your child's second breakfast andwhip up a truly delicious power snack..
Simple lunchbox recipes for every school day
Most parents — or for older children, the children themselves — prepare the lunchbox mostly in the morning after getting up. It often needs to be quick. For this reason we have put together somelunchbox ideasthatcan be prepared quicklyandfit comfortably into any lunchbox:
Melon-apple stars
Wash 1 apple and cut into slices 1 to 2 cm thick.
Cut 1 piece of watermelon into slices 1 to 2 cm thick.
From the apple and melon slices, use a cookie cutter to cut out stars (or other favorite shapes).
Put the apple stars aside with the core removed and press the melon stars into the apple slices.
Sausage-tomato skewers
Cut the sausages into small pieces
Slice cherry tomatoes
Thread all ingredients alternately onto a toothpick
Whole-grain sandwich
Halve 1 slice of whole-grain bread.
Spread cream cheese on one half of the bread
Place cucumber slices on the cream cheese and then ½ slice of turkey breast on top
Now place ½ slice of cheese on the turkey breast
Arrange finely sliced carrot rounds on the cheese
Finally garnish with arugula leaves and cover with the second half of the whole-grain bread.
Tips:
To prevent the sandwich from falling apart, simply secure it with one or two toothpicks!Important:The toothpicks must be clearly visible so that children can easily remove them before biting in.
Sometimes it's enough to change the shape of the bread to make it more interesting. Bagels with the fun hole in the middle are also available as a whole-grain option and can be topped just as well as other breads.
Refreshing drink: lemon-mint water
Fill a water bottle with still or carbonated water.
Cut 1 slice of untreated lemon into wedges and add them to the bottle.
Add 1 sprig of fresh mint and let steep for about 1 hour.
Nut and berry muffins — a different twist
Place 1 paper or silicone muffin cup in the lunchbox.
Now fill it with various nuts or berries; this prevents anything from shifting and keeps everything tidy in the lunchbox.
Fruit and vegetable snack
Whether grapes, cherries or plums... the free space next to the muffin cup can be perfectly filled with seasonal fruits.
A tasty vegetable snack for break time or in between: cherry tomatoes. Simply wash 5-6 and place them next to the whole-grain sandwich.
Overnight oats as a muesli variant
The evening before, combine some oats with an equal amount of milk in a small container.
Sweeten to taste and add nuts if desired.
Overnight this becomes a creamy snack for break time that can simply be enjoyed with fresh fruit.
Flavored quark — sweet or savory
For the sweet version, stir the quark with some milk or yogurt into a creamy mixture.
Add fresh pieces of fruit such as bananas, strawberries or peaches and a few drops of honey.
For the savory version, stir fresh herbs, a little salt and pepper into the creamy quark and pack it in the lunchbox with a few vegetable sticks.
