Packed Lunches

Packed lunches are meals prepared in advance, stored in bags or containers, and eaten later. Many people, especially school-going children and teenagers, rely on packed lunches every weekday. It is essential to ensure that packed lunches are nutritionally balanced, incorporating each of the four main food groups from the food pyramid.

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Guidelines for Planning Healthy Packed Lunches

1. Include All Food Groups: Incorporate foods from the four main food groups in the food pyramid:

• Vegetables, salad, and fruit
• Wholemeal cereals and breads, potatoes, pasta, and rice
• Milk, yoghurt, and cheese
• Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, and nuts

2. Avoid Empty Calorie Foods: Replace chocolate or crisps with healthier options like homemade energy balls or baked alternatives.

3. Special Dietary Requirements: Consider allergies or intolerances, such as gluten-free options for those with coeliac disease.

4. Choose Suitable Packaging Materials: Use reusable containers such as:

• Plastic boxes
• Thermos flasks
• Food flasks to maintain food freshness and temperature.

5. Pack Foods Properly:

• Avoid packing items that spoil easily, like banana sandwiches.
• Compartmentalised lunchboxes are great for keeping foods separate and fresh.

6. Prepare Ingredients in Advance: For example, pack sandwich ingredients separately to assemble fresh at lunchtime.

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Packed Lunch Food Examples

Vegetables, Salad, and Fruit:

• Examples: Vegetable sticks, carrot salad, mixed salads, fresh fruits, dried fruit. Wholemeal Cereals and Breads, Potatoes, Pasta and Rice:

• Examples: Wholemeal bread, pitta bread, wraps, pasta salad. Milk, Yoghurt, and Cheese:

• Examples: Milk, yoghurt in smoothies, cheese slices, or grated cheese. Meat, Poultry, Fish, Eggs, Beans, and Nuts:

• Examples: Chicken or ham slices, hard-boiled eggs, beans in salads, nuts and seeds in snacks. Fats, Spreads, and Oils (Use Sparingly):

• Examples: Low-fat spreads, dressings, and mayonnaise. Foods and Drinks High in Fat, Sugar, and Salt (Occasional Treats):

• Replace crisps or chocolate with healthier homemade snacks, such as flapjacks.

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Tips for a Balanced Packed Lunch

• Include a source of protein (e.g., chicken or hummus).
• Pack high-fibre foods to aid digestion (e.g., wholemeal bread, vegetable sticks).
• Ensure fluids like water or milk are part of the meal.

Sandwiches

Sandwiches are one of the most popular packed lunch items. They consist of three main parts: bread, spread, and filling. These can be mixed and matched to create variety.

Sandwich Ingredients

• Breads:
  • Wholemeal, brown, or white sliced
  • Soda bread
  • Soft rolls
  • Baguettes
  • Baps
  • Pitta pockets
  • Wraps
  • Panini
• Spreads:
  • Low-fat dairy spreads
  • Butter
  • Functional spreads (e.g., cholesterol-lowering spreads)
  • Mayonnaise
  • Cheese spreads
• Fillings:
  • Cooked meats (e.g., ham, chicken pieces)
  • Fish (e.g., tinned tuna, salmon, smoked salmon)
  • Cheeses
  • Mashed avocado
  • Salad vegetables (e.g., lettuce, cucumber, tomato, scallions)

Types of Sandwiches

1. Filled: Includes options like pitta pockets, wraps, or baguettes stuffed with spread and filling.
2. Single: Two slices of bread with spread and fillings.
3. Club: Three slices of bread with spread and at least two layers of filling.
4. Toasted: Sandwich toasted under the grill or in a sandwich toaster.
5. Open: One slice of bread with spread and toppings on top.

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Snacks

Snacks are small portions of food eaten between meals. Choosing healthy snacks instead of processed or sugary options like crisps, chocolate, or sweets is important.

Examples of Healthy Snacks

• Hummus with carrot sticks
• Whole fruits (e.g., apples)
• Fruit salad pot
• Dried fruit (e.g., apricots)
• Yoghurt with berries and homemade granola
• A handful of mixed nuts
• Celery sticks with peanut butter
• Wholemeal toast with peanut butter, banana slices, and a drizzle of honey
• Multigrain crackers with mashed avocado, tomato, and black pepper
• Pitta quarters with hummus, tomato, and onion
• Crackers with avocado and smoked salmon