Cape Town - A new school year can be exciting for children, but for most parents it is a juggling act of having to label stationery, sew names onto uniforms, cover books and of course, navigate the perpetual challenge of school lunches.
Experts in food and retailers have shared a few tips to make the process hassle-free.
Health store, Faithful to Nature recommends a lunch box packed with healthier options. From protein-packed bars and kid-friendly fruit chews to vegan biltong and beyond.
Dietician Donna Van Zyl explains that a balanced lunch consists of a wholegrain/unrefined low-GI carbs, protein, fats, fruit, salads and vegetables.
https://www.diabetessa.org.za/lunch-ideas-for-home-or-school-during-lockdown/Her advice for parents: “Prepare or pack a healthy lunch you know your child will eat. Otherwise, your child may enjoy swopping his or her food with friends or end up not eating. It is important to switch up the foods regularly. Let your children try new foods over the weekend or at night, so that you know whether you can prepare or pack the food in for them.”
Her ideas for protein include scrambled egg muffins or lean meat, such as beef strips, chicken breasts strips, sosaties (mini), biltong, salami slices/sticks, meatballs (chicken or beef), cheese wedges, blocks of cheddar cheese, cottage cheese or cream cheese, yoghurt, smoothies.
Starch could include whole-wheat/rye bread, whole-grain provitas, wraps, brown rice, quinoa, barley, baby boiled potatoes/sweet potato with the skin, and durum wheat pasta.
This can be accompanied with a good helping of salad, vegetables and fruit, while nuts and seeds or unsweetened nut butters can also be added as an additional treat, Van Zyl said.
In terms of tips for convenience, Spar recommends:
1. Plan a weekly lunch menu: Avoid the early-morning rush by planning in advance. A weekly meal plan is also helpful when it comes to budgeting and saving on groceries.
2. Shop with a list: Once you’ve planned your menu, making a list of things to buy will help you to prioritise spending and curb the urge to buy unnecessary items, all the while reducing unnecessary food wastage.
3. Convenience is key: When it comes to the key ingredients for lunches, retailers advise that convenience and waste reduction are important. Consider buying packaged snacks like granola bars, dried fruit or peanuts that can be eaten at school or reused for another lunch if not eaten.
4. Prep the night before: Sandwiches can be made the night before and still taste great the next day but ensure that those filled with a protein are refrigerated. If you prefer making them on the day, then prepare fillings such as chicken, tuna or egg mayo in advance. A time saving tip for lunch preparation is to also keep grated or sliced cheese and sliced deli meats on hand.
5. Freeze and feed: Sandwiches, wraps and rolls freeze well, depending on the fillings. Egg Mayo sandwiches, cheese and ham rolls and chicken wraps all defrost with good results. Remember that frozen tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, onions, etc. go limp when thawed so it’s best not to add these ingredients before freezing. Many baked goodies such as muffins or certain leftovers like roast chicken make great sandwich fillings and can also be frozen for future use.
Cape Times