It is essential that children get good nutritious meals and snacks every day to maintain energy levels as well as concentration levels! Below are a few suggestions for good nutritious meals and snacks, and a health eating plan.
ALWAYS find out from the family if the children have allergies!
Generally the following should NOT be put into lunchboxes or given to the child:
Chocolates
Sweets
Biscuits
Peanuts and peanut butter
Chips
Here are a few lunchbox ideas:
Sandwich – this should be a daily thing in every lunchbox
Fruit – apple, banana etc.
Mini cheddars
Biltong
Cheese cubes
Viennas
Hot dogs
Mini pizzas
Samoosas
Mini burgers
Meat balls
Rice crackers
Chicken drumsticks
TUC biscuits
Mini pies
Kiri cheese
Cheese dippers
After School Snacks
Children are usually starving when they come home from school so if it is BEFORE 16:00 then offer one of the following snacks:
Yoghurt
Fruit
Sandwich
Lunch and Dinner Menu Options
Below are a few lunch and dinner menu options – which, if followed, would mean the child is following a healthy diet:
Lunches
Macaroni and cheese with bacon
Chicken nuggets with diced potatoes, carrots, and peas
Cottage pie with veggie mix and butternut
Tuna pasta bake with green, red, and yellow pepper, and baby marrow
Pasta Alfredo with corn
Chicken a la king with peas
Spaghetti bolognaise with baby marrows and mushrooms
Fish fingers with diced potatoes, peas, and carrots
Home-made meatballs with mashed potatoes and green beans
Dinners
Chicken stew and rice
Pan fried steak with mushroom and onion sauce with baked potato and salad
Chicken and leek pie
Home-made hamburgers, rolls, sliced tomatoes, lettuce, grated cheese
Fish fingers with chips and salad
Chicken parcels in foil with mozzarella, tomatoes and baby marrow with diced potatoes
Chicken Pasta with Napoletana sauce and mozzarella cheese
Roast beef with roast potatoes and rosa tomatoes, olives, green beans and capers
Roast chicken, roast potatoes and butternut filled with tinned tomatoes, baby marrows with feta cheese
Beef stroganoff with mushrooms, rice and salad
Hake fish with curry, mayonnaise and feta cheese plus chips and salad
Spaghetti bolognaise with mushrooms
Chicken schnitzel, chips and salad
Pork chops, potato bake and avocado slices with lemon juice
Tacos (mince and taco shells) with grated cheese, diced tomatoes, diced cucumber, shredded lettuce