Family Matters: Healthy school lunches
Making sure your kids get healthy school lunches can be an uphill battle.
Many schools don’t make it easy for children to make healthy choices. Whether it be fish and chip Fridays, daily pizza slices or snacks – temptation is everywhere.
Healthy school meals are often discussed, but there is a lack of information on how you can actually make sure your kids are getting a healthy, nutritious lunch – without the sugary snacks – at school. We’re here to help.
Healthy school lunches tips
Extra-healthy snacks
When they feel that pang of hunger, it may actually be easier to reach into their bag to grab that orange you left there than walk over the canteen and queue for something sweet. By making the healthier option the easier option, you can make your kids more likely to stick to something nutritious
No extra money
If you are already providing a healthy packed lunch for them, the kids don’t need extra money to go to the shop. They are much less likely to eat what you have provided if they also have the means to buy whatever they want.
Check the menu
School canteens will often have a weekly rolling menu. Download it, look at it at home with your child and discuss the healthy options. If your child is at primary school, you can choose the options for your child in advance so that you know what they are being served is the healthiest option.
Watch out for salad bars
A salad can seem like a great healthy option for school lunch. However, the salad often also includes pasta and potato salad – as well as heavy mayonnaise and coleslaw. Make sure your child is clued up on how to build a balanced plate so that they don’t overdose on carbs and skimp on the veggies.
Every day pizza
You wouldn’t order takeaway pizza everyday – so why have it at school every day? Pizza is often a canteen option every day – and one of the cheapest things on the menu. It’s also one of the easiest options to eat on the go. Remind your child that this is not a healthy option and should just be enjoyed occasionally.
Talking about school lunches
Check the records
Most secondary schools now have a pre-paid card or a fingerprint system to pay for food in the canteen. This also stores all the info on what has been bought – so that you as a parent can check. If this is something that works for both of you, this can be an easy way to check what your child is buying for lunch at school and discuss it at home if necessary.
Peer pressure
Children will often stick together at school even if it inconveniences them – for example, queuing for food even when they don’t intend to buy anything, rather than sitting alone. Know that they will probably not stick to healthy options all the time but make sure they remember how important healthy choices are.
Energy balance
It is important to remember energy balance. Whatever is eaten for lunch needs to be considered when deciding what to eat for dinner. For example, some children may find that their school lunch is their main meal of the day – this means that their evening meal doesn’t need to be as big.
Joint problem-solving
Joint problem-solving is when both you and your child work towards a solution that you are both happy with. Pick one day in the week when they’re allowed to choose whatever they want – as long as for the rest of the week, they choose the healthier options. It is important that you both agree the terms. What will be the consequences if this agreement is not stuck to? Do you both understand why you have made this agreement?
Together, you can come to an agreement that will encourage your child or children to choose healthy school lunches.