Does this sound familiar to you? Your child refuses to get out of bed in the morning, leaving you short on time and needing to put together their lunchbox in a hurry.
Or perhaps your child is a picky eater, and their lunchbox repeatedly comes home untouched.
Putting together a packed lunch isn’t always easy, especially when you’re in a rush in the morning or have a picky eater to cater to.
At MATR, however, we believe you can absolutely master the art of preparing a great packed lunch.
In this article, we’ll explore what healthy food for kids really is, why a packed lunch is an important source of nutrients, and how you can easily put together a nutritious packed lunch for your children.
Healthy food for kids: A packed lunch is an important source of energy
In Denmark, we eat up to half of our daily food while we are away from home, according to the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration.
For children and teenagers, it is also recommended that up to half of their daily energy intake comes from meals eaten at school.
If you’re the one responsible for making packed lunches at home, it’s important to remember that your child also needs nutritious food throughout the day to continue to grow and develop.
That’s why it makes sense to give some extra thought to exactly what goes into their lunchbox.
At MATR, we know that it’s easy to create a nutritious packed lunch, as long as you just combine the right elements.
What does healthy food for kids actually look like?
Since children are constantly growing and developing, they need a diet full of variation that provides them with energy, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids.
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration particularly highlights fruit and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish, and low-fat dairy products as important components of a healthy and varied diet.
That’s why it’s important to think of your child’s packed lunch as a combination of different, important sources of nutrients.
Protein. Protein contributes to the growth and maintenance of the body. It can be found in foods such as peas, beans, lentils, and traditional meat.
Dietary fibre. Fibre is for instance found in whole grains, vegetables, fruit and legumes. Dietary fibre helps your child feel full and satisfied throughout the day.
Healthy fats. Fat is an important source of energy, and unsaturated fatty acids should be part of a healthy diet. You can find unsaturated fatty acids in foods such as plant oils, nuts, and seeds.
Vitamins and minerals. A varied diet containing vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and legumes helps provide children with the different vitamins and minerals they need.
Remember, it’s not necessarily about making sure every single packed lunch contains everything. Instead, focus on varying and combining meals so that your child gets a range of different nutrients throughout the week.
Read more in our article “Healthy dinners: How to make a nourishing meal”.
5 ways to add more nutrition to your child’s packed lunch
There are several simple and effective ways to add more nutritious foods to your child’s packed lunch.
- Choose whole grains whenever you can. Swap white bread, toast, or regular wraps for whole-grain alternatives. Whole grains provide dietary fibre, vitamins, and minerals, among other nutrients.
- Get protein from meat and plant-based foods. Traditional meat is a good source of protein, but your child can also benefit from plant-based sources. Legumes such as peas, beans, and lentils are natural sources of both protein and fibre. They are also key ingredients in our MATR products.
- Make vegetables ready to eat. Peel them and cut them into wedges or other fun shapes. This can make the packed lunch a little more exciting for the little ones.
- Sneak vegetables into everyday meals. Have picky eaters who aren’t big fans of vegetables? Chop them up and add them to a delicious lasagne. They’ll rarely notice that the vegetables are hidden in the meal.
- Add fruit for a naturally sweet treat. An apple or a juicy pear can add a touch of sweetness to your child’s packed lunch while still providing a range of important nutrients.
MATR in a packed lunch: A part of healthy food for kids
With MATR, you can easily add some variety to your child’s packed lunch. Our products are made with just five organic ingredients, and your child is very likely to know all of them.
Oats, split peas, lupins, beetroot, and potatoes.
We make our products through fermentation. Once the vegetables are bound together through this natural process, MATR develops its firm texture and delicious umami flavour.
This also means that our products contain no additives or E-numbers whatsoever.
So you can safely add MATR to your child’s packed lunch. If you’d like to learn more about the nutritional profile of MATR, you can read more about our products.
Healthy food for picky eaters
If your child repeatedly comes home with an untouched packed lunch, it may be worth rethinking how you can make their lunch a little more fun and appealing.
The best place to start is actually by involving your child in preparing their packed lunch.
- Give your child some say
For example, you could let your child choose between two or three vegetables that you already have in the fridge.
It could be as simple as: “Would you like cucumber or bell pepper in your packed lunch today?”
Even though the choices have already been narrowed down for them, your child still gets a sense of having a say. This can make their packed lunch a little more fun, and perhaps a little easier to eat, too.
- Introduce new foods alongside your child’s favourites
If your child is trying broccoli in their packed lunch for the first time, it’s a good idea to pair it with foods you know they love.
If their packed lunch consists entirely of unfamiliar foods, there’s a risk that none of it will be eaten. That’s why it’s important to strike a good balance, so your child has enough energy to get through the rest of the day.
- Think about shape, colour, and texture
For children, the way food looks and feels can make a difference too.
A sandwich cut in half can feel much more manageable than a whole sandwich.
A colourful red slice of watermelon or a bright yellow orange can also make a packed lunch a lot more fun compared to a handful of brown raisins.
3 packed lunch recipes with MATR
Looking for inspiration to make a more creative and delicious packed lunch for your children?
Below, we’ve gathered a selection of MATR recipes that can easily become part of your everyday packed lunches.
Bolognese. A classic bolognese is a favourite with kids. Creamy, hearty pappardelle topped with an umami-rich ragù made with MATR mince, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs.
Pasta Pesto with MATR “bacon”. Silky pasta with basil pesto and crispy, salty pieces of MATR “bacon”. A simple classic that’s perfect for packed lunches on busy weekdays.
Pan fried filet. Try a kid-friendly take on the classic Danish open-faced sandwich. A crispy, pan-fried MATR fillet on rye bread with mild remoulade, a squeeze of fresh lemon, and pickled cucumbers.
Where can I find MATR products?
Do you not already have MATR in your fridge, and are you wondering where you can find our products?
You can buy MATR online from nemlig.com or find it at selected COOP stores across Denmark.
Want to let your child try MATR before adding our fermented vegetables to their packed lunches? Take them out for a meal at one of the restaurants serving MATR, such as Gasoline Grill or mother in Copenhagen. Here, MATR is already on the menu.
Frequently asked questions
What is healthy food for children?
Healthy food for children is all about variety, including vegetables, fruit, whole grains, protein, and healthy fats. The most important thing is to look at your child’s overall diet rather than trying to include everything in every meal.
What are some good meals for children?
Go for simple meals with familiar flavours and different textures, such as whole-grain pasta or wraps packed with plenty of vegetables. Find inspiration for child-friendly MATR recipes in the article above.
What are some healthy breakfast ideas for children?
Breakfast can often be quite high in sugar for children. Instead, try oatmeal topped with fruit and nuts, whole-grain bread with eggs, or yoghurt with oats and berries.
What do children love for dinner?
There is no specific answer to this. However, we find many children prefer simple food that is also easy for you to make as a parent. And these can easily be made with plenty of variety and vegetables. Explore MATR’s recipes and find your family’s next favourite.