Real Healthy School Meals

Many of our articles are aimed at you the adult, but what about our children’s health. Now if you don’t have children it’s not switching off time. Ultimately the children of today are our future for tomorrow. Do we want a healthy, intelligent, independent, compassionate  generation for the future? Or a sick, dumbed down, co dependant, uncaring society?

Well as we know by now the foods that go into our body system have the capacity to shape the way we look, feel and act. So that makes it pretty crucial to get our children’s meals right doesn’t it?

 

 

Image supplied by Torrey Wiley

Once children are at school age is it acceptable to simply put all of our faith into the school system, blindly hoping that school meals pull through for us and offer up tasty, nutritious, natural goodies for children to enjoy?

This article is about taking responsibility and empowering you the parent, aunt, uncle or friend to get educated and supply the children of today with the best, most affordable options for healthy school lunches.

 

FACT – Did you know that ADHD and ADD have been linked to food additives, colours and preservatives as well as allergies to food such as Gluten (the sticky protein found in wheat, barley, oats and rye)?

TIP –  if your child or a child you know is displaying behavioural and/or attention issues start looking at their foods. Eliminate all processed packaged foods, actively avoid e numbers, colour and preservatives’. If no improvement is seen. Try a 21 day Gluten Free Trial, swapping wheat, barley, oats and rye for buckwheat, rice, quinoa and millet.

RECIPE – Lunch Time Patties

Ingredients make 8  patties

Beef or lamb mince

Fresh herbs of your choice

Sea salt and fresh black pepper

1 egg to bind

                                                                                                 

                                                                                                    Image supplied by Chloe Lim

1. Simply mix and roll into 8 balls. Flatten between your palms.
2. Grill for a few minutes on each side.

Accompany with a fresh salad, or veggie sticks and some homemade ketchup or mayo

 

FACT – Did you know that Childhood Obesity and Type II Diabetes are on the rise and are caused by excess sugar and refined grain products (cereals, bread, pasta, cookies, cakes) in the diet?

TIP – To avoid these health risks reduce the amount and frequency of grain based products in the school lunch box. Swap sandwiches for snack box nibbles (see below), replace conventional cakes with homemade whole grain fruit, nut and cereal bars. Limit grains to one item in the lunch box and aim for at least 2 grain free lunch boxes per week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image supplied by Victoria Koh

RECIPE – Snack Box Nibbles

Contains:

Veggie carrot & red pepper sticks

Hummus

Squares of homemade vegetable and meat frittata

Mixed berries with plain full fat yogurt and local honey

Homemade granola bar made with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, honey and shredded coconut flakes