Your child asked you for a jam sandwich on white bread but you don’t want to give in. You told them many times that a lunch box has to be filled with healthy foods if they want to be strong but you can’t find any inspiration when it is time to prepare it. What can you do? We have basic two-step instructions for you.
Step one: Instructions
The first step consists in explaining to your child why you are filling their lunch box with varied and healthy food. We suggest concrete examples related to their reality.
The child moves…
Tell your child that dairy products give them strong bones and they need strong muscles to move those big bones! Meat and alternatives (red beans, tofu, etc.) will help them develop muscles. Also, the vegetables, fruits and cereals will give their muscles the energy needed to move during physical education classes and recess.
The child focuses…
Vegetables and fruits supply energy to the brain. Explain that veggie will help them stay focused, think fast and find answers! Also, meat and alternatives, dairy products and whole grain cereals turn off the hunger switch because they contain proteins or fibres. So these foods will keep them focused on the teacher, not on their rumbling stomach.
Step 2: find ideas
After explaining, you can sit with your child to find ideas to fill the lunch box. It is important to have fun while doing this. If your child doesn’t feel like it or if they are too young, don’t force things… it must be a GAME!
How to proceed?
- Spread all the grocery stores leaflets and flyers on the table (President's Choice, IGA, Metro)
- Also put photocopies of all your warm or cold recipes that can be kept in a thermos or that can be heated in a microwave.
- Write on a paper the four food groups suggested by Canada’s food guide: Vegetables and fruits, grain products, milk products, meat and alternatives.
- Take each group in turn and write nutritious ideas, recipes and foods that he likes.
Vegetables
- Ask your child what vegetables they prefer as a side dish.
- Suggest raw and cooked vegetables, in big chunks or little slices, etc. All of those details seem trivial but it can make the difference between vegetables eaten or left in the lunch box.
Fruits
- Ask your child what fruits they like.
- Suggest whole fruits, cut in pieces, peeled, quartered, diced, sliced, stewed, etc.
Grain products
- Ask your child what grain products they like.
- Suggest rice, barley, millet, couscous, pasta, etc. with dressing, mayonnaise, on their own, hot or cold, etc.
Milk products
- Ask your child if the milk you offer them is cold enough.
- Suggest yogurt, cottage cheese, cheddar, etc.
- Suggest soymilk beverages.
Meat and alternatives
- Ask you child what their favourite meats and alternatives are.
- Suggest meat and alternatives in a sandwich, in a salad, in a cold or warm side dish, etc.
- Suggest adding legumes, meat, poultry, fish and tofu in a sandwich or on the side to dip crackers or a pita…
- Suggest new foods like sushi, spring rolls, etc.
Snacks
Ask your child what kind of snacks they want. Their choices will probably depend on their activities and the time they have to eat it.
Treasure all this information and place it in a file because it will help you write down your grocery list and find inspiration!
