RAVENSDALE PRIMARY SCHOOL Working together to be the best we possibly can Healthy Lunchboxes
Healthier Lunchboxes Dear Parents We would like to share with you some recent advice from the government with regards Lunchboxes which we would hope you will find supportive. We, like you, take the health of the children at Ravensdale seriously and for this reason have reviewed with the children the contents of their lunchboxes. It is particularly important for a school aged child to eat a well balanced diet so as to provide them with the energy to cope with the challenges of a school day, improve concentration and to help form healthy bones. Making a lunchbox healthier and appetising to your child to your child doesn t mean that they miss out on all the things that they enjoy eating. It is about getting a good balance and good variety throughout each week. We don t expect your children to miss out on special treats such as crisps or chocolate biscuits so why not try the following ideas: 1. Limit the number of times they are included to twice a week 2. Try adding plain popcorn, breadsticks or pretzels as a change instead of crisps 3. Add a lower fat snack such as a fruit scone, slice of malt loaf or a current bun, tea bread or wholemeal muffin instead of a chocolate biscuit.
Handy Hints The school has thought carefully about the additional information which they hope will support you in your efforts to provide your child with a healthy lunchbox. So.what is a healthier lunchbox? A Healthy lunchbox should contain a good portion of Carbohydrates: Bread, e.g. granary, wholegrain, soft grain, baguettes, poppy seed bread, bagels, pitta bread, wraps, chapatti. (If your child does not like wholemeal bread try making sandwiches with one slice of white and one of wholemeal or use white bread with added fibre.) Pasta (please avoid rice salads as we cannot guarantee the correct storage temperature). Crackers, crisp breads and rice cakes. Plenty of fruit and vegetables (as a rough guide, a child s portion of fruit and vegetables is the quantity that comfortably fits in their hand) A Satsuma, a pear Small banana or a apple Small box of raisins or other dried fruit, or a handful of grapes or cherry tomatoes A slice of melon A mini tub of fruit chunks (preferably in natural fruit juice and not in syrup) Sticks, slices or chunks of cucumber, carrots red or yellow peppers
Advice A lunchbox is not complete without a drink, however many of the drinks that appear in children s lunchboxes are high in sugar and additives e.g. fruit shoots/sunny delight. Being well hydrated has also been linked with better concentration and learning. On average children should be drinking 5 to 6 glasses of fluid a day. Here are some suggestions for you to try: Unsweetened fruit juices Flavoured water/low sugar squashes Bottled water Milk/flavoured milk DRINKS Listed below are alternatives for treats such as crisps, chocolate bars and sweets. You could include: Currant buns Rice cakes Malt loaf Plain popcorn Breadsticks Cheese scones Vegetable sticks Fruit portion e.g. box of raisins, cherry tomatoes, melon Cheese portion Use an insulated lunch box Freeze drinks or include an ice pack Make the lunchbox items the night before and put in the fridge Use ice packs to keep food cold Rinse out the lunchbox daily and always thoroughly clean the lunchbox in soapy water at least once a week Bags could be washed with clothes in the washing machine on a 40 degree cycle TREATS
Healthy Eating Suggestions Following a questionnaire regarding children s lunchboxes, the results show that the majority of parents and children are keen to eat more healthily, we are aware of time pressure, cost and convenience implications this may have. Below are two healthy suggestions which are quick and convenient: Wholemeal pitta bread with reduced fat cheese and salad Cucumber batons Low fat crisps Flavoured milk Raisins NUTRITION INFORMATION Energy 635kcals Protein 25.8g Fat 11.2g Saturate 3.3g Carbohydrate 114.8g Sugars 55.9g Sodium 840mg Salt 2.1g Average cost of 3 at the 0.93 supermarket: Slice of pizza Cherry tomatoes Cereal bar Piece of cheese Fruit smoothie NUTRITION INFORMATION Energy 634kcals Protein 25.3g Fat 20.7g Saturates 6.8g Carbohydrate 56.4g Sugars 13.3g Sodium 485mg Salt 1.2g Average cost of 3 at 1.30 the supermarkets: A portion of Dairy: A pot of low fat fruit yoghurt or yoghurt drink, or pots or tubes of fromage frais. A carton of semi skimmed milk A small piece of cheese, or mini cheese triangles A portion of lean Meat or Fish: A portion of lean meat, fish or alternative E.g. ham, chicken, beef, tuna, salmon, egg or hummus A Drink: Water, flavoured water Low sugar squashes Unsweetened fruit juice Semi skimmed milk
Recipe Ideas Apple scones Apple and Cinnamon Muffins 1 medium cooking apple Per serving: 162 kcals, 4g fat serves 12 8oz (225g) self raising flour 75g (3oz) low fat (light) margarine ½ tsp salt 50g (2oz) low calorie sugar 1 level tsp baking powder 2 eggs (medium) beaten 2 oz (50g) butter 300 ml (1/2 pint) skimmed milk 2 oz (50g) caster sugar 350g (12oz) white self raising flour ¼ pint milk 1 tsp baking powder For the glaze 10 ml (2 level tsp) cinnamon 1 oz (25g) Demerara sugar 1 cooking apple, cored and diced 1 dessert apple, cored and diced 1. Preheat oven to gas mark 6, 200C, 400F. 2. Peel, core and finely chop apple, 1. Preheat oven to gas mark 6, 200C, 400F. sift flour, salt and baking powder together. 3. Rub in butter, and then add caster sugar and chopped apple. 2. Place the margarine, sugar, eggs and milk i bowl and beat until light and fluffy. 4. Mix to a soft, but not sticky dough 3. Lightly fold in the flour, baking powder and with milk 5. Roll out on a floured board a ¼ inch thick, 8 inches round, mark into 8 wedges. 6. Place on a greased baking tray, brush the top with milk and sprinkle with Demerara sugar. 7. Bake in a moderately hot oven for 20-30 minutes. cinnamon. 4. Stir in the diced apples and spoon into 12 muffin cases in a muffin tray. Bake at 200C, 400F, gas mark 6 for 25-30 minutes.
Per serving: 150 kcals, 0.5g fat 400g (1lb) mixed dried fruit 1 mug soft brown sugar 2 mugs self raising flour 1 beaten egg Malt Loaf 1. Soak the dried fruit overnight in a mug of hot black tea 2. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and place in a loaf tin or round cake tin 3. Bake in the oven for 2 hours at 160C, 325F, gas mark 3 If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact the school.
RAVENSDALE PRIMARY SCHOOL Working together to be the best we possibly can Healthy Lunchboxes