5 Healthy Lunches For Kids

Bean burgers

If you want to serve a healthy lunch for your child you wouldn’t normally consider giving them a burger. A bean burger though has lots of useful nutrients. Add butter beans, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, an egg, a little flour and some low fat cheese to a blender. Once the ingredients are mixed, take the mixture and make burgers. Pop in the oven and bake until ready. You can serve with your child’s favourite sauce and add burger buns if you want. As a dessert pack them a fruit salad with a honey and natural yoghurt topping.

Star pizzas

Most pizzas are high in all the things you don’t want your child to be eating, but if you make them yourself your child can still enjoy a tasty pizza. Most of us don’t have the time to make our own pastry though. You can buy relatively cheap puff pastry from most stores. Roll out your puff pastry and use a cutter to make the star bases. Top the pastry with tomato puree. Add chopped onions, red peppers and feta cheese. Bake in the oven according to the pastry instructions. For dessert pack up some yoghurt covered raisins and a clementine.

Finger food

Kids love to eat with their fingers. Buy a few Tupperware boxes, or a lunch box that contains different compartments, and fill each with a different finger food. They could start with breadsticks or crackers. Spread these with low-fat soft cheese and add a cheddar stick too. Put sliced peppers or carrots in another box with some cold peas. In another compartment you could place a hard-boiled egg. For dessert pop in some purple and green grapes with some chopped up flapjack. This is a fun and visually appealing lunch that your child will love.

Turkey pita

A turkey pita can be a cost-effective and healthy packed lunch for your child. Make sure you buy wholemeal pitas though as these are much less processed. Spread some low-fat mayonnaise inside and add some lettuce leaves or spinach leaves. To make it a little bit different pop in some raisins too. Then slice the cooked turkey breast and layer it within the pita. For dessert your child can have a slice of banana cake and an apple. If your child prefers their apple chopped you can keep it fresh by preserving it in lemon juice and wrapping it in a paper towel.

Smiley sandwiches

A sandwich is a filling lunch, but it can be dull. To make a sandwich more exciting use a shape cutter on the bread. If you lightly toast the bread beforehand the cutter will be easier to use. A train, a car or a smiley face shape are popular and fun shapes. There are a lot of great sandwich fillings, but some of the healthiest and most filling ones are egg and cress, cream cheese, salmon and cucumber, or avocado and chicken. To accompany a sandwich include some cherry tomatoes and a toothpick. For a sweet, pack a yoghurt and some dried apricots.