With school opening on
the horizon, it’s time to start thinking about not only the contents of your
kids book bags but also what’s inside their lunch boxes. Creating packed
lunches and snacks for your kids is not only a great way to save but the way to
make sure they eat nutritious food. That is why Electrolux is here to provide
some budget-friendly tips for tasty and healthy packed lunches and snacks. Forget
the hotdogs or bacon and rice combo— these dish ideas are not only easy to
prepare but will go down easy with your kids as well!
Grains
Did you know the
Australian dietary guidelines recommend eating a wide variety of mostly whole
grain and/or high fibre varieties of breads, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles,
polenta, couscous, oats? Why?
Because it is
Good-for-your-Grain!
Grains plays an
important role for a healthy diet, providing nutrients and energy for your
kids’ growth and development. One of the benefits of eating whole grains is
that they are chock-full of fiber. Diets high in fiber have been shown to
decrease the risk of heart disease, diabetes, constipation and unhealthy weight
gain.
A quick and easy way to
incorporate fiber is through sandwiches - try making a simple clubhouse
sandwich, which also contains veggies, and replace your ordinary bread with
whole wheat bread. You can also replace white rice with brown rice to give your
kids that fiber fix.
Fruits
and Vegetables
Incorporating fruits and vegetables in your
child’s diet can be challenging - one way to do it is to involve them in
choosing and making their meal. Why not
try a homemade trail mix with dried fruit, nuts, & cereal? Bring your
children with you when you do the grocery shopping and let them choose a few
dried fruits and nuts of their choice. You could combine them with a whole
grain cereal for an easy trail mix.
Another way to include veggies into your
kid’s lunchbox is by pairing crunchy vegetables like baby carrots or peppers
with a tasty dip like hummus, tzatziki or homemade ranch dressing made with
fat-free mayonnaise. These make great sides for lunch or even a yummy
snack.
Protein
Found
in meat products, protein is required for growth and repair of muscles, as well
as iron. For healthier baon, use lean
meat or fish like salmon and tuna as your protein source or instead of frying
meat, give them cold cuts or tuna in a sandwich.
Eggs
are another source of protein. Try packing a hard-boiled egg with your child’s
lunch as one hard-boiled egg could provide 6 grams of protein.
More
Healthy Snack Options
A healthy packed lunch
should contain all four main food groups.
There are a lot of
healthy snack items that you can give your kids besides sugary biscuits or
chips. Aside from servings of chopped up fruit, you can include a single-serving pack of reduced fat
chips, plain popcorn, apple or banana chips, a slice of fruit cake or unsalted
nuts as a minor indulgence for your child at recess or after lunch.
Making baon for your kids everyday may take up
a lot of time, especially when you are in a rush in the morning getting
everyone ready for their day. One way to cut down on prep time is to prepare a
large portion of food on weekends, then divide them into single portions and
keep them in your refrigerator to grab and serve when needed.
Having
a refrigerator with good storage solutions like the New Electrolux Side by Side Refrigerator ESE6200PD-PH can be
a big help. It has Freezer Space Plus which give you extra freezer room perfect
for storing cooked food that you can eat later in the week. It also has wide
open spaces and over 20.5 cu ft. capacity to help you store and organize the
food your family will eat all week long.
“At Electrolux, we believe in helping moms and families live healthier lifestyles and one way to do this is through good nutrition. With this goal in mind, Electrolux has thoughtfully designed products that will help families in their journey to eat well, in every sense of the word,” said Andrea Pionilla, Country Marketing Manager of Electrolux Philippines.
For more
ideas on home care and healthy living, please visit electrolux.com.ph.
