Get ready for school – healthy lunchkit ideas

By Cherice Bronte-Tinkew, RD

We may be enjoying a restful time this school vacation with children, nieces, nephews or grandchildren but the school year is right around the corner. So how do you ensure the new term starts off in the right direction?

Let’s discuss how to create a healthy lunchkit. Firstly, nutrition comprises combinations for meals and snacks from the Caribbean Six Food Groups. Children need energy; they need adequate protein to grow; and they need vitamins and minerals from foods which can support their immune system and protect them in the long term from chronic lifestyle diseases such as Diabetes, Cancer and Heart Disease.

l Look at your budget and find places where you can get the most for your money. Try to go to your local market for fruits and vegetables. It’s a great trip for the family too, weekly or fortnightly.  If you are too busy, there are many online delivery services for bundles of fresh fruits, ground provisions and vegetables.

l Create a menu per week. Get a clipboard or an erasable white board for the kitchen. Plan meals with your children. Think simple! Sandwiches, stuffed sada roti or wraps, homemade pizzas with vegetables in the sauce or baked rolls with meats or vegetables. Keep the format the same but change the ingredients per week depending on the availability of ingredients.

l Keep healthy snacks in the house only and save the occasional sweets or convenience snacks for special occasions and not for school. Encourage children to have at least one fruit daily. Fruits can be used according to the season available. They will be richer in vitamins and minerals when in season.

l Invest in lunchkits which have different compartments for hot and cold items. Yogurts can be frozen to carry. Reusable containers and resealable bags can be used for chows, granola mixes, popcorn. Ensure children have at least one litre of water at school. Invest in reusable bottles and have them clean these bottles on a regular basis.

l Vegetables can be used in meals and snacks. You can experiment with recipes and allow the children to help with creating their meals and snacks. I love trying baking recipes and adding vegetables to them.

Cherice Bronte-Tinkew has been a registered dietitian for over nine years. She is a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Nutritionists and Dietitians.

For more information:

Facebook and Instagram pages @JustCherNutrition.

Email- justchernutri@gmail.com

Spinach and minced chicken rolls

I have been using this recipe since getting a surplus of local spinach. This is an excellent way of getting extra iron, calcium and protein into your children’s diet for growth and development and it’s an excellent choice for the lunchkit.

Dough:

500g of all-purpose flour

6g of instant yeast

8g (2 teaspoons) of sugar

6g (1 teaspoon) teaspoon of salt

30mls (1oz) of cooking oil

1 cup of warm water

Filling:

1 tablespoon of cooking oil

3 chopped pimentos

2 tablespoons of chopped onion

2 tablespoons of minced garlic

1 teaspoon of dry seasonings (black pepper and paprika)

1 teaspoon of salt

2 ½ cups of chopped spinach

6 ounces of minced chicken (green seasoning can be added before)

Method:

Make a dough by combining all ingredients in a large bowl and kneading into a ball. Let proof for 1 hour. Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a large frying pan and add the pimentos, garlic and onion. Sauté, then add the seasonings, spinach and chicken. Let cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Let the mixture cool and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Roll the proofed dough onto a flat surface with flour or baking sheet. Form a flat rectangle. Add the filling evenly onto the surface of the dough. Roll the dough and filling together into a cylinder. Use a knife and cut small narrow openings on top. Bake in oven for 45 minutes.

Creates 20 small rolls (1 inch thick)