Giving your kids a balanced diet is important for their nutritional needs as they grow. It is important to avoid processed, artificially-flavoured foods as well as sugar rich drinks. Lead by example and eliminate the following from your child’s lunchbox.
- Cooldrinks and fruit juice drinks. These are loaded with sugar and preservatives.
- Packets of chips. Chips contain not only a large amount of salt but also contain saturated fat.
- Processed cheese snacks. Cheese dips or cheese straws contain high amounts of salt and unhealthy fats.
- Cereal bars. Often thought of as better than chocolate but they are loaded with glucose and fat.
- Biscuits. Children love biscuits but they are loaded with sugar and fat and contain little to no nutritional value.
- White bread. All children love sandwiches but white bread is a definite no, it contains no fibre and is loaded with sugar.
- Sweets and chocolates. Fine as the occasional treat but sweets and chocolates are high in sugar and fat and provide no nutritional value.
- Polony or processed meats. Think of other options for sandwiches as processed meats are full of nitrates, preservatives and salt.
- Muffins. Store bought muffins are high in carbohydrates, sugar and fat and should be avoided.
- Savoury biscuits. They are often thought of as better than chips but savoury biscuits contain high amounts of salt, fat and hydrogenated vegetable oil.
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