Do not include ready-made food in the lunch box

While nutrition is of great importance at every stage of life, this importance increases even more during the developmental age. Adequate and balanced nutrition of the child in the developmental age will affect his/her school performance, being a healthy individual, and living a quality and healthy life in the future. It is necessary to take the right steps to gain correct eating habits from the first years of life. Generally, after proper eating habits, the child's eating habits begin to change when the school age begins. Unhealthy snacks standing in the school canteen become more attractive for the child. It is not possible for children, especially those who spend full time in school, to make the right choice about their nutrition. And some mistakes are made regarding nutrition. For example, the main mistakes made are not consuming enough vegetables and fruits that provide vitamin and mineral supplements and at the same time make you feel full, turning to junk food with high sugar and fat content, and increasing the consumption of ready-made fruit juices and acidic drinks. To prevent this situation, healthy snacks or main meals prepared at home can be seen as a savior.

Healthy snacks prevent your child from buying unhealthy foods from the canteen. The prepared lunch box prevents problems such as obesity and underweight. At the same time, it contributes to the age of development by completing the daily needs in the most accurate way. Even the school success of a child with a healthy body is positively affected. In this way, healthy eating habits will be acquired over time and it will be possible to continue them into adulthood.

There are also issues we need to pay attention to when preparing the lunch box. These include not adding perishable foods to the bag, not including packaged products in the lunchbox, which is one of the most common mistakes, etc. It is difficult to keep meat products in a place with high ambient temperature for a long time. Thermal insulated containers can be used as a precaution for this. Packaged products, which are mostly popular foods in childhood, are among the foods we frequently encounter in lunch boxes. Individuals with a family history of diabetes should be especially careful about packaged products. Because these products are It can disrupt insulin metabolism, often causing rapid increases in blood sugar. Packaged products have high energy. Also, it does not provide a feeling of fullness. Therefore, it causes consumption of more than necessary.

So what should be in the lunchbox?
Variety should be included in the lunchboxes you prepare for your child. Variety can be achieved by adding grain groups, dairy products, meat groups, fruit and vegetable groups in a balanced manner in the lunch box. At the same time, preparing meals from different foods instead of the same food every day will make it easier for your child to consume healthy foods prepared for him without getting bored of the lunch box. Of course, visual presentation is also important for children. It can make the food in the lunchbox more enjoyable.

-Fruit;Fruits strengthen the immune system and provide the vitamins and minerals we need. It has an impact on children's performance in school. It also prevents frequent illnesses by affecting the immune system. For example, 1-2 portions of fruit daily; Fruits such as 1 apple and 1 banana can take their place in the lunch box.

- Dried fruits;As with fruits, they should be included in our daily diet as they have high amounts of vitamins, minerals and fiber.
- Useful nuts such as walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts;the useful and essential vegetable oils they contain must be taken in certain amounts during the day for a child in the developmental age.
- Greens, cucumbers, tomatoes. Seasonal raw vegetables and salads, such as fruit, contribute vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to us. Thus, it strengthens the immune system and makes your child more resistant to diseases. It also provides a feeling of fullness, making it a good choice especially for children at risk of obesity. In order to ensure healthier consumption of this group, it is appropriate to wash it well and put it in the lunch box as a whole without chopping. There will be vitamin losses in the group of vegetables and fruits that are divided or chopped.
-Milk and dairy products;Every child in the developmental age should consume sufficient amounts of dairy products daily. must take it. Calcium, in particular, will help maintain bone health. A healthy beverage alternative can be created by adding daily cans of milk, kefir or ayran to the lunch box.
-Homemade sandwiches or toast;Let's avoid putting delicatessen products such as salami and sausages into our homemade sandwiches.
- Low sugar fruit compote;can be considered as an alternative to fruit juices.
-Water;Water also has an important place in a correct eating habit. It is important that we make water, which we consider the healthiest drink, a habit for our children. The daily amount of water a school-age child should take is approximately 1.5lt.
-Breakfast;cheese, eggs, olives, bread, baked egg and cheddar bread, etc. It is very important for your child to have a good breakfast at home. If there are days when he cannot have breakfast, alternative foods should be prepared in his lunch box. Even when you go to school by eating breakfast, it can be a breakfast option instead of lunch.
-Crepe;can be prepared with vegetables, cheese, spinach or plain. Options that are both your child's favorite and nutritious can be added to the pancakes.
-Oatmeal cookies and cakes;If we want to make a healthy pastry, we can sweeten it with low-fat or fat-free oat or whole wheat flour. Cakes and cookies can be prepared by using natural foods such as honey and molasses.