Here at Yum Yum Kids, one of the most common requests we get are for big lunchboxes. Parents want to make sure that their children are not hungry throughout the day. The temptation is always to put in one more snack, just in case.
The reality is that our children don’t need lunchboxes that are too big for an adult. They need an appropriately sized lunchbox for the size of their tummies. Something like a Yumbox is the perfect solution as the compartments allow for ideal portion control.
At most schools, the children will have to eat before they are able to go and play. A lot will be eager to speed through the lunch part, so they can get to the playing part faster. Make it easy for them to eat a good lunch. Pack their food in an easy to open lunchbox, with easily accessible snacks. If a container is too hard to open, or the food is too hard to eat, it will likely stay in the lunchbox uneaten.
If your children come home and eat everything in sight, don’t automatically assume it’s because you didn’t pack enough in their lunchbox. There could be a couple of reasons…
Think about how much your child will eat on the weekend, or during the school holidays when they are at home all day. Then think about what you are putting into their lunchboxes. Does it match up? Maybe you are packing their lunchbox with too much food, and that’s why it comes back half full. Think logically about the eating habits of your child when packing their lunch.
It can be so worrying if your child brings an almost-full lunchbox home from school with them. As parents we can leap to any number of conclusions, that they are picky eaters, that they have an issue with eating, or that they are being bullied. The answer could be much simpler. The easiest thing to do is simply to talk with your child and see if there are any issues. They may provide an explanation that takes the worry away.
If you are really worried about this topic, then take a step back from the day to day and look at the bigger picture. Ask yourself these questions:
If you have any concerns about your child’s health, then check with a medical professional. Otherwise, if they are healthy and growing well, then there isn’t cause for major concern.
Worrying about our children is what we parents do best. There will always be something to worry about. Worrying that they are eating enough is a big concern. But sometimes when we pack our children’s lunch, we set ourselves up to worry. If you are stuck for ideas on getting your child to eat at school, then check out our top tips blog here. Know that you are not alone in this worry, every parent is scared they aren’t feeding their children enough!
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This is a simple alternative to sandwiches. Things that perform the same function as two slices of bread, but look and taste slightly different. You can pack them full of goodness and variety to keep hungry tummies full and satisfied.
Dumplings are so simple to make and are delicious. Protein and veg wrapped up in a yummy little parcel. You can even include a dipping sauce in one of our leakproof bento box compartments or containers to make them even better. Try this dumpling recipe as a starting point.
Get the kids to help and make your own sushi at home. You can by a bamboo sushi mat from your local supermarket or Asian supermarket. Get creative with your kids’ favourite fillings! Depending on the filling, you may want to consider using an insulated lunchbox or cool pack to keep them fresh.
A little meal that fits in the palm of your hand. Fill them with veges or meats and your kids will scoff them all. Try this delicious looking recipe from Bite, mix up the flavour combinations as much as you like!
Slice recipes can be packed full of goodness. Great ingredients mixed together to form a wholesome snack for your kids. Check out our Smart Slice recipe for a golden syrup delight, or our Frittata recipe for a savoury alternative.
Instead of adding fillings to a sandwich, bake the yummy fillings right into the batter with mouth-watering muffins or loaves. Not only are they healthy and filling, but it’s another chance to get the kids involved with their lunch preparations. Sweet treats can include our Blueberry Zucchini Bread or Banana Choc Chip Muffins. If the kids prefer savoury, these Corn and Cheese Muffins from Kidspot are sure to be a hit.
7 – Lunchtime Tapas
Who says that kids need to have one big lunchtime item to fill them up. Provide them with a variety of fruit and veg and several small portions of any of the above ideas. Instant lunchtime tapas.
We know these healthy lunch ideas for lunchboxes will be a hit in your household. We would love to hear which was the favourite option at your house. Leave us a comment below. Also let us know if you have any other popular healthy lunch ideas in your household.
]]>Then there is the flow on effect. They will eat everything in sight after school because they are ravenous. Then, they won’t be hungry for dinner. It’s best to get them eating right at school so they get the fuel their bodies need, at the right time of day. Here are our suggestions:
Don’t put the same thing in their lunchbox every day. Rotate the foods around so that they don’t get bored. If your kids know that there is a peanut butter sandwich and an apple in their lunchbox, chances are they may not open it. Pack a variety of fruits and vegetables. Try things like wraps, pitas, bread rolls or even dumplings as an alternative to the humble sandwich.
We eat with our eyes first. If it looks good, then we are going to eat it. Make the food in their lunchboxes look delicious. Fill it with lots of colours. You maybe even choose to cut things into fun shapes with these shape cutters. Or use cute food picks to make them want to pick their food up.
Normally, the things that kids love the most aren’t the healthiest options. Try not to put too many treats in their lunchboxes. If they can get a quick refuel from cookies or cake, then chances are they will leave the sandwiches, fruit and veg. Make it easy for them to make the right food decision at lunchtime.
Don’t make it too hard for them to eat it. If there are too many things to unwrap, or difficult things to peel then they might not do it. Cut and core their fruit and include easy eat items. You maybe even want to pack their lunch in a Bento Box so that everything is right in front of them when they open it. No need for opening any small containers.
Sit down on the weekend and make a plan for what they would like in their lunch the following week. Take them shopping to buy delicious and healthy items. If you have a farmers market nearby, then this can be a fun morning out. Bake snacks together and even get them to help pack some of their lunchbox the night before.
Pop all the ingredients to create a delicious lunch into their lunchbox and let the kids make lunch themselves. Include a wrap, pita, or something similar, as well as all the fillings and let your kids get creative putting it all together at school. It allows them independence and they are always going to eat something they have made themselves.
Top Tip: Bento Boxes work really well for DIY lunches as they keep the ingredients separate until it is time to assemble the lunch.
We need to make sure that our kids are eating well even when we aren’t there to see it. These tips for getting kids to eat their lunches at school will help your child be happy, healthy and well fed so that the snack cupboard doesn’t take too much of a hammering after school.
]]>Firstly, lets cover off what a Bento Lunchbox actually is. Becoming wildly popular in the last couple of years, a Bento box is a handy solution to the standard rectangular lunchbox. The secure lid opens to reveal a compartment style interior where different foods can be placed in different sections of the box.
The Bento box is certainly not a new invention, it’s origins date back to 12th century Japan. The Japanese would prepare a ‘bento’ (a packed lunch) to take with them to work. The more modern Japanese bento box is made from lacquered wood and known for it’s variety and presentation. The aim is to get as much colour and beauty into the presentation and to have a variety of nutritious foods to choose from. Our Bento lunchboxes have taken this lead in the last few years.
The compartments within the Bento lunchbox allow different foods to be placed in without touching each other. This removes the need for plastic wraps or bags to separate foods. Save the environment one lunchbox at a time by reducing the amount of plastic waste going into our landfills.
With so many handy sections, you can put a wide selection of foods into the lunchbox. The lid closes securely so you can easily include a variety of cut up fruit and vegetables without worry of the juices making sandwiches soggy. When the child opens the bento box, they can see all of the food right in front of them. We find this encourages them to eat more of their lunch as they don’t have to worry about opening extra containers.
Lunch can be more fun with awesome bento accessories. Make sandwiches more exciting with these super cute animal shape cutters , or add some fun food picks to decorate vegies and fruit pieces. Food forks also make it easier for little hands to pick up slippery foods.
Bento lunchboxes are so easy to wipe out. Most can go in the top rack of the dishwasher also. With no little nooks and crannies to clean, it is easy to keep them hygienic. The built-in compartments mean you don’t have to keep track of lots of little containers that are forever getting broken or lost.
For a great bento lunchbox that can go in the dishwasher every day check out our Goodbyn range
Because there are several small compartments in each box, it is easy to grab a small snack on the go. You don’t have to sit down for a full lunch meal. Keep hungry little tummies full with a wide variety of regular snacks.
Many Bento boxes will come with at least one liquid safe compartment or container. It seals off from the rest of the compartments without the fear of spills. Use it for yogurt or fruit with juice. It also gives you the option of including a dipping sauce, opening up a whole new array of lunchbox food options. If your kids like to dip, then try the Yumbox range or Little Lunchbox Co range which have multiple liquid-safe compartments
Top tip for bento boxes: Keep your children’s lunch cool and fresh by freezing yoghurt, fruit or jelly into one compartments the night before. Come lunchtime, it will be defrosted and ready to enjoy!
Join the Bento box revolution and get your kids eating healthier this year. Also, cut down on the time it takes to pack lunch without the need to wrap everything individually. We love Bento boxes and we know you will too!
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