Macrobiotics for children

For most parents mornings are a rushed affair. Preparing a healthy and tasty packed lunch that doesn't arrive at the end of the day squashed at the bottom of a book bag is a daunting task.

With some careful planning, mornings can become a lot more relaxed and parents can go to work knowing they have provided a lunch that is satisfying and nourishing.

In many ways, younger children are easier to feed because they are not so influenced by their friends. Feeding children in higher grades is a challenge because they are very conscious of how they appear to their peers.

Children want to fit in and munching into a rice ball and broccoli doesn't quite do it. Many of their friends will buy lunch or fill up on candy and chips. A parent's idea of a great lunch might be quite different to their child's.

Often kids will only eat the snack, beg junk off friends or hit the vending machines. Many kids in high school opt to eat nothing at all.

It is important to listen and talk to your children about healthy eating and not to be too strict. The key is to make sure they are getting enough variety at home on a daily basis.

When children have regular, balanced meals they can afford to enjoy a more simple lunch and relish those special treats now and again.

It is easier to provide a nourishing lunch when menus and ideas are planned in advance. Try to have a large selection of alternatives in your cupboards.

Make sure to check out your local health store, as some products are not available in supermarkets.

Here are some ideas to help you create a great packed lunch.

Remember that kids want something tasty that can be eaten quickly.
Remember that parents want a meal that can be made quickly, but is also nourishing and healthy.
Plan lunches in advance.: The major problem with lunch boxes is that they get terribly repetitive. If you are not o organized, you end up stuffing the box with packets of crisps every day.
Make some things the night before so that mornings are less hectic.
Discuss lunch ideas with your kids first.: Find out what sort of things they love and buy healthy alternatives that they feel comfortable with.
Look at the whole day instead of just lunch.: Offer a nourishing breakfast. Make a big bowl of vegetables when they come home from school. Provide a variety of healthy dishes for dinner.
Include a grain, vegetable and fruit. Grains include breads and pastas.
At lunch include foods that are nutritious, fun and easy to eat.
Young children need a variety of healthy foods to provide them with different nutrients for their growing bodies. Leftovers from dinner are fine, if children enjoy them.
Foods will stay fresher and taste better if they're individually wrapped - waxed paper is easier for children to unwrap than plastic wrap. Save plastic containers from hummus or dips and re-use them for salads or cut fruit.
Make sure food stays fresh by using either a frozen drink or frozen freezer pack, and an insulated lunch box. Older children may prefer to take a brown paper bag and frozen juice box to keep their lunch cool.
Use organic ingredients where possible.: This makes a huge difference to your child's health. Organic food is especially important for children because children face unique hazards from pesticide exposure.
Pound for pound, children eat more food, drink more water and juices, and breathe more air than adults, read more