When it comes to your child’s lunchbox, it’s easy to find yourself pestered into buying the pre-packaged snacks that are advertised on children’s TV programs.
But if you are following a healthy eating plan in order to lose weight, you’ve probably cottoned onto the fact that most of them are not very healthy.
And if you look at the ingredients list you’ll find that many contain large amounts of sugar and plenty of other less than healthy ingredients that you’d never put in a homemade version (maltodextrin, anyone?).
Today we have pulled together some delicious and healthy swaps for some of the most popular lunchbox snacks.
Why not have an afternoon cook-up one day each week where you make one or two snacks for the week?
1. Tiny Teddies
A snack like Tiny Teddies are about one quarter sugar and not ideal for growing bodies. Instead, try making these 4-Ingredient Shortbread Cookies which use the goodness of chickpeas.
2. Muesli Bars
Leave the sugar and additives out with your own homemade version of the lunchbox favourite. Leave the nuts out of these Healthy Snack Bars to make them suitable for school, or try these Chewy Coconut Oat Bars (they also contain nuts so either leave them out or just enjoy at home).
3. Roll Ups
Roll ups contain dubious amounts of fruit, plenty of sugar and no fibre. Do your children’s health a favour and make your own instead – it’s easy! Try Strawberry Roll Ups or Mango Roll Ups.
4. Sweet Muffins
Instead of buying packaged muffins from the supermarket that are heavy on sugar, fat and calories, just adapt one of our Healthy Banana Bread recipes instead. Use the same recipe but pop the mixture in a muffin tin instead, and cook for around ¾ of the time. Or you can check out some of our favourite sugar-free muffins here.
5. Sesame Bars
Instead of the packaged variety which contain more than 3 tsp sugar per serve, try these no-bake Sesame Seed Bars (which are also great for adults).
6. Le Snak
There’s not much to trust about cheese that is kept on the shelf. Simply place some cubes of cheddar cheese in a tub with the same number of brown rice crackers for a healthier snack option.
Check out our Healthy Kids Cookbook for even more delicious ideas for hungry kids.
