Like the preschool child, schoolchildren who are still growing need a well0balanced diet to supply their energy and other nutrients. Many of the dietary guidelines and healthy snacks suggested for toddlers also apply to them. 

As your child gets older, it can be more difficult to keep a watch on what he eats. Frequent snacking or grazing on sugary foods and drinks is often preferred to a proper meal. But as with toddlers, encourage him to eat healthy snacks and drinks, and don’t let him fill up on cakes, crisps and biscuits. 

Studies have also found that eating breakfast, especially one of fortified cereal, is important for schoolchildren, so make sure that he eats a proper meal in the morning before he goes off to school.  

A packed lunch may be one of your child’s three main meals if he doesn’t take school meals, so it needs to provide plenty of nutrients. It should contain food from at least three of the four main food groups, which is also interesting, varied and enjoyable, so that he will eat it. 

Lunch Box Suggestions

Sandwiches, rolls or pitta bread with two types of filling, one from each of the two columns below, provide a contrast and also contain food from two of the food groups. You can mix and match them, according to your child’s tastes. 

Cream cheese                                                      Dates or crushed pineappleGrated cheese                                                      Fruit chutneyPeanut butter                                                        Sliced bananaCold chicken                                                         AvocadoTuna                                                                      Sweet corn & mayonnaiseSalmon                                                                  CucumberCold roast pork                                                      AppleBacon                                                                    Lettuce and tomatoEgg                                                                        WatercressHam                                                                       SaladFish pate                                                                Tomato 

Alternatives to sandwiches: Containers can be filled with pasta, potato or rice, mixed with natural yoghurt, fromage frais or mayonnaise. Add food such as cold chicken chunks; chopped apples or celery; tuna; chopped fresh tomatoes and kidney beans; chunks of cheese, pineapple and salad. Cold pizza with various mixed toppings, such as cheese, tomatoes, ham, pineapple, mushrooms, pepperoni or tuna. 

Dairy foods:Carton of yoghurt or fromage frais; tub of cheese cubes (with grapes or pineapple chunks); pot of cottage cheese; cheese dip with vegetable sticks or a bread stick. 

Fruits and vegetables: 

Add loose or put into a tub cherry tomatoes, grapes or raw vegetables, such as sticks of celery, carrot, pepper and cucumber (with a dip if you wish); tub of fruit salad; apple, banana, peach, Satsuma or other piece of fruit. 

Suitable drinks:Milk or yoghurt drink; pure unsweetened fruit juice; water. 

Treats:Yoghurt, or chocolate coated nuts and raisins; potato chips or other savoury snacks; muesli bar. 

Note:Items with mayonnaise and some dairy foods should only be kept in insulated lunch boxes or with gel-type ice packs to keep food and drinks cool.

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