YMCA Healthy Living Magazine, powered by n4 food and health (Summer 2015) | Page 8

JOEL FEREN, APD
Joel is a dietitian at Hearty Nutrition (www.heartynutrition.com.au). He is an
Accredited Practising Dietitian and Accredited Nutritionist with a background
in the biomedical sciences. Joel’s main areas of interest include: heart health,
weight loss, Coeliac disease, IBS and vegetarianism. He is a professional
member of the Dietitians Association of Australia, Coeliac Australia and
Diabetes Victoria. Click here to learn more about Joel.

HEALTHY SCHOOL
LUNCHBOX IDEAS
Growing bodies and minds require the right amount of fuel and nutrients to maximise
their potential. Arming your little ones with nourishing foods to get them through the
school day can be challenging, but there are some guaranteed ways to ensure your
child’s lunch box is filled with fun, appealing, tasty and nutritious foods. Nutrition expert
Joel Feren explains.
Keep it interesting

Practice good food safety

Additionally, ensure the fillings are satisfying. Some ideas are egg
and salad, tuna and lettuce, cream cheese with smoked salmon,
feta and avocado, and cottage cheese and cucumber. Providing
a variety of foods will ensure that your kids not only meet their
nutritional requirements so they can withstand the rigours of their
day, but will also ensure that they are kept satisfied. 

Make time for breakfast

Would you eat the same lunch every day? Probably not. It’s often
said that variety is the spice of life and this applies to our food
intake. Eating the same foods day in, day out may lead to taste
fatigue – a condition where the sense of taste becomes
diminished over time. Take the sandwich, for example. Rather
than preparing this Australian lunchbox staple using conventional
bread every time, try seeded bagels, whole-wheat wraps,
sandwich crackers, pita bread, English muffins or pikelets.

Include healthy snacks

Fresh unprocessed foods are the gold standard. Include fresh
fruit rather than fruit bars, and cheese and wholegrain crackers
rather than prepackaged cheese dips and white biscuits. They
are far better nutritional options. Data published in 20051
reported that on average, Australian primary school children
had three processed food snacks in their lunchbox every day.
Some healthy alternatives might be: fruit (no surprises there),
vegetable sticks with salsa, yoghurt, no-added sugar flavoured
milk drinks, homemade air-popped popcorn (sprinkle with dry
herbs rather than butter and salt), baked beans, a hard-boiled
egg or tinned fish.  

It ’s OK to add an occasional treat

You’ll never hear a dietitian refer to a food as “good” or “bad.”
We prefer to use terms like “sometimes” foods and “everyday”
foods. While an apple is a food that should be enjoyed
regularly, a chocolate bar should only be consumed from time
to time. It’s important to teach kids this philosophy from an
early age. Giving your tots the occasional chocolate bar or
packet of chips is acceptable – just be sure not to make it an
everyday occurrence.

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YMCA HEALTHY LIVING MAGAZINE SUMMER 2015

Young children are more at risk of getting food poisoning, as their
immune systems are not yet fully developed. The bugs that
trigger food-borne illness grow between 5°C and 60°C, so it’s vital
to keep food cool. Using insulated lunchboxes or cooler bags,
placing a frozen drink bottle next to foods that should be kept
cool, and ensuring that packed lunches are kept out of direct
sunlight will minimise the risk of food poisoning. Also, encourage
your kids Ѽ