“It’s recess time! Look what I brought in my snack box!”
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if your kids look forward to discovering what’s in their snack boxes each day, and devour the food you lovingly prepare for them?
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For many time-pressed mums, preparing something healthier and appealing to the child’s appetite, while making sure that the food stays fresh and appetising until it is eaten, sounds like a monumental task.
But it doesn’t have to be so daunting. Here’s why you should press on:
What kids eat at recess is as important as the rest of the meals in the day, especially for those who do not have a substantial breakfast or lunch before they reach school.
Kids develop food preferences very early in life. So if your kids prefer to bring snacks from home, take it as an opportunity to reinforce healthier eating habits consistently. Nudge them onto a healthier diet and reduce the chances of needing to deal with weight or health issues down the road.
Related: Are Your Kids Eating Healthily at Their Child Care Centre?
Planning a healthier snack is like planning any other meal. You can start by looking through the simple guidelines in My Healthy Plate. A growing child needs nutrients from all the food groups i.e. fruit and vegetables, wholegrains and meat. If you are not sure how much your kids should be eating each day, check out the recommended servings from each food group for kids of different ages here.
When preparing snacks for recess, keep in mind the following:
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Wholegrains are packed with fibre, vitamins and anti-oxidants. Because they take longer to digest, wholegrains can keep your kids full longer to sustain them through the school hours.
Wholegrains come in many forms. Look out for wholegrains in your next grocery shopping trip. You can find them in brown rice, wholegrain or brown rice noodles, wholegrain or wholemeal pasta, breads, wraps, flour, and mantou, wholegrain cereals and crackers, and so on.
An easy way to fill your kids’ snack boxes is to decide on a wholegrain, then select the vegetables and meat to go with it, such as:
Related: Whole Grains — The Wise Choice!
If the idea of waking up early in the morning to cook doesn’t appeal to you, there are grab-and-go options such as wholegrain cereal, crackers or mantou. For home baking enthusiasts, try making bread, muffins and cakes using wholegrain or wholewheat flour or oat. These can be paired with fruit, nuts and seeds, and vegetables for a more wholesome snack.
If you have kids who don’t hesitate to chomp on raw vegetables, you can pack lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, celery or carrots into their snack boxes as a side dish. Remember to wash and dry them thoroughly. Alternatively, heat up a handful of frozen vegetables such as corn, carrots or broccoli. Vegetables with vibrant colours make the meal more appetising.
Nuts and eggs are great sources of protein and are easy to prepare too. For example, the snack box can include a small packet of almonds, pistachios or cashews. Choose nuts that are not deep-fried, salted or sugar-coated. Eggs, done in different ways like hard-boiled eggs or omelettes, are both satisfying and filling.
Legumes (beans, lentils and peanuts) are another good source of protein. Frozen edamame soybeans can be quickly heated up and included in the snack. Peanuts (cooked in healthier ways) are convenient too.
Related: Nuts About Nuts
Eating fruit at recess helps kids meet their daily requirements of two servings of fruit and two servings of vegetables. If packing cut fruit, add some lemon juice to prevent oxidisation. Here are some suggestions of fruit you can include in their snack box.
Related: Fun Fruity Facts
School canteens on board the Healthier Meals in Schools Programme are playing their part to provide healthier food choices in school. This requires food and beverages sold in school to contain less fat, salt and sugar. In addition, schools are starting to sell healthier set meals which include food from all the important food groups.
On days when you need to take a break from food preparation, you can encourage your kids to buy healthier food in school so that they can eat a greater variety of food for recess.
Related: Eat to Win in Your School Canteen
And perhaps one day, your kids may say,
“Hey, it’s recess time! Look what I brought in my snack box! It’s healthier and yummy!”
Visit Parent Hub, for more useful tips and guides to give your child a healthy start.
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This article was last reviewed on 15 Nov 2022
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