Back to School Food Tips

The school routine and weekly food plans can be challenging but here are some tips to help you. That's what Monday's cookery demo is all about!

• Get the children involved in making their own lunch, what they need, what they like, help you bake thing

• Ask them to suggest what they would like from each food group.

• I suggest, a full portion of fruit, some veg, a main item , e.g sandwich, fritter, frittata, sushi, etc. and ‘something nice’ – a healthy snack they like, see below.

• Keep it interesting , give them something ‘nice’ each day, this may be a favourite fruit, yogurt or homemade snack that is nutritious but allowed in school, e.g power bars, energy balls, apple chips.

• While I try to include vegetables in the main item, including a portion of veg is ideal, eg mini cucumber (Lidl), carrot, celery, pepper sticks, cherry tomatoes with a dip like hummus. It is worth trying things out.

• Have food that is easy to open or that is ready to eat. Eg half peel Satsuma, if a packaging is too difficult to open, open it & reseal to set up for success.

• HANGRY kids (Hungry & angry): Have snacks ready to go as soon as they come in after school, or when you collect them. This helps prevent ‘meltdowns’ due to being hangry!

• They have a short time to eat their lunch so make sure it is nutritionally dense and low GI to keep them going.

• Make sure they eat a nutritious breakfast ; high protein and low GI if possible, scrambled egg on multigrain toast, fried egg with cheese, porridge, and frittata. Avoid sugary cereals.

• Read all labels on food , e.g Innocent smoothies, ‘fruit & veg” smoothie has only 1% veg! Check for sugars.

• It is best to talk about foods as making them ‘strong, faster smarter or concentrate better’ rather than focusing on the word ‘healthy’, it makes it easier to get them to try it.

• Make flavoured water, with slices of fruit or herbs to encourage them to drink more water. Let them choose the fruit or herb.

Notes to make your weekly meal plan flow smoothly:

1. Lasagne – on Sunday, make double the Bolognese sauce and double Roast veg. Assemble lasagne,
   Day 1 Use roast veg with pasta and goats cheese or as a side with fish.
   Day 2 have lasagne, freeze slices you don’t use.Day 3 Use extra Bolognese with pasta or with spice and kidney beans as chilli One effort, 3 dinners and most likely some for the freezer.

2. I usually do the fish chowderonce a week. It only takes 20 mins to make.

3. When I do roast chicken, I roast more than I need. I use leftovers in sandwiches or quesadilla and then boil the bones with vegetables to make stock, add back in some leftover chicken and spiralized vegetable and noodles if you wish for another tasty meal. 2 dinners from the same chicken.

4. Traybake; place in the oven ( no more than 2.5 hours earlier), set timer to cook and dinner is ready as soon as you walk in the door! I usually do this on swimming days!

5. Healthy meal the babysitter can cook: Slow bake salmon, veg and par cooked potatoes, have the tray in the fridge ready to be put in the oven, will take 15 mins to prep and 15 mins in the oven by babysitter!

6. Blueberry pancakes– make a big batch for breakfast one day, have leftover for after school snack or snack in the car.

7. I always have granola, power bars, yogurt, fruit, sourdough crackers & cheese & dahlready when hunger hits.

8. Breakfast: eggs/ Weetabix/porridge generally on offer. Other cereal like rice crispies only allowed once per week.

9. Supper: If dinner was early enough I would offer fruit or yogurt & granola or sourdough toast.