Children's health: Healthy snacks
School is starting again - remember a healthy snack!
The lunch box should definitely contain foods that are easy to eat and are filling. It is important that it tastes good, is varied and preferably healthy. In any case, 1 portion of fruit and vegetables (preferably seasonal and regional) belongs in a school lunch box.
These can be, for example
| Fruit | Vegetables |
|---|---|
| Apple slices | pepper |
| half a banana | small tomatoes |
| grapes | turnips |
| strawberries, raspberries | peeled carrots (strips or slices) |
| Mandarins (with peel, otherwise they dry out too quickly) | cucumber |
| cherries | kohlrabi |
| Kiwi (halved with spoon) | Fennel |
| plums | radishes |
| Apricots | chicory leaves |
| sliced sharon/ persimmon | iceberg lettuce |
In addition to fruit and vegetables, you should always provide a sandwich or roll to keep you full, preferably wholemeal of course. Suitable toppings include, for example:
- different types of cheese
- various types of poultry sausage or cooked ham
- Pure cream cheese
- Cream cheese with herbs or paprika
- Vegetarian or vegan spreads
- nut or almond butter
- jam
Do you have little vegetable lovers at home?
Why not add a leaf of iceberg lettuce and/or a few slices of cucumber or radish to your cheese sandwich or sausage roll? The snack will be more colourful and juicy and some of the vegetables will already be included.
Perhaps you have something left over from the previous day that can be given instead of bread or rolls. For example, you can fill pancakes, roll them up and cut them into small pieces. Small pizza rolls also taste good the next day. Rice pudding or semolina porridge can also be eaten the next day (well chilled overnight). And children are of course always happy to have little extras in their lunch box, such as
- small sausages/tofu sausages
- half/whole egg
- cheese cubes or small mozzarella balls
- nuts, sultanas, cranberries
- one or two spelt biscuits (or others)
- small pretzels
- a piece of chocolate (if allowed)
- a fruit slice
Remember enough drinks
Of course, the most important thing is always to drink enough. Diluted fruit spritzers, tea or water are better than soft drinks and pure juices, as these contain a lot of hidden sugar.
Further information
Would you like more information on this topic?
Then please contact the Office for Health and Prevention:
Information on the net
Seasonal fruit and vegetables:
Quality standards for school catering:
EU school programme for fruit, vegetables and milk:
Initiative for healthy eating in daycare centres and primary schools: