Children need to take a healthy lunch to childcare

If your child attends childcare, kindy or preschool, chances are that half of their daily food intake will be consumed away from home. Recent studies show that, for many children, the food provided by their parents for these away-from-home meals fails to meet the recommended daily intake for energy foods,

This is of concern given that good nutrition is essential:

• For adequate growth and development
• To help prevent nutrition related diseases
• Lays the foundation of nutrition knowledge and good eating patterns by exposure to nutritious food, positive educational experiences, and good role models (parents, carers and peers)

• Providing a healthy lunch for their child
• Leaving special treats for home only
• Recognising the role that the social aspects play in their child's concepts about eating

• Bread, rice, pasta or cereals for energy
• At least one good iron source such as beef, lamb or veal, or two moderate sources such as chicken, fish, pork, ham, nuts, peanut butter, legumes (baked beans, chick peas, hommus)
• Three small serves of calcium foods such as milk, yoghurt, custard, cheese, or calcium fortified soya milk
• Fruit and vegetables for vitamins and minerals
• Enough food for the day

Special treats are best left for home.   It is often forgotten that—for young children—treats are not added extras, they replace healthy food choices for children. Examples of foods to avoid are:   Sticky foods like health food bars and fruit straps as these cause tooth decay Foods high in fat and sugar like chocolate and chips as these replace more nutritious food Cordial and fruit drink (as opposed to fruit juice).

Recent research highlights particular issues about the food in children's lunchboxes.  

• In 85% of cases, milk drinks were being replaced with fruit juice and this was leaving children's diet lacking in calcium rich foods. Juice consumption of more    than one glass per day is considered excessive and contributes to diarrhoea and erosion of tooth enamel.
• Iron intake fell short of recommended daily intake as red and white meats were not included as frequently as was necessary.
• We now know that the time for children to be given fruit juice is with eggs or cheese as this aids iron absorption.
• Few vegetables were included in lunch boxes and this was recommended.

Take advantage of the social dimension of lunch in the childcare centre, kindy or preschool:  

Lunchtime with young children remains the optimum time for teachers/carers to educate children on sound nutrition, and to encourage them to try new foods. Teachers/carers take this opportunity to talk to children about the colour, texture and flavours of food, favourite foods, and what constitutes a healthy diet. This becomes a difficult task for teachers if children open their lunch to reveal chips, cordial and special treats. Parents of children who are "finicky" eaters can be reassured that, when in the company of others, children will eat most foods.  

Before concluding, a comment on food safety:  

It is essential to keep foods cold if your child's food is not stored in a refrigerator. Keep foods cold by:  

• Freezing drinks
• Using freezer packs
• Using insulated lunchboxes and bags
• Freezing suitable foods 

To instil in our children healthy eating habits is not difficult. In so doing, we are also giving them that irreplaceable gift of a healthy body and mind.