It’s September and that means back to school time! The daily task of packed-lunches can be a struggle but when you know the best foods to include then they are made that little bit easier. Whether you are packing your lunch for yourself at work or the kids for school, it is important to always include healthy foods to keep you going throughout the day. 

Here at Willowbrook Foods, we are here to help you with some tips for healthy packed lunches: 

Protein 

Protein is one of the most important nutrients in our diets. It is highly important for growth and development, especially in children and teens, making it a vital part of every meal. Great sources of protein are chicken, lean meat, fish, eggs, nuts and beans. These can all be easily integrated into a packed lunch through a sandwich or a salad. You can add protein into your lunch without even realising. When choosing fish, you could choose oily fish such as tinned sardines or mackerel on toast once or twice a week – a great source of omega-3 which may help to keep your heart healthy. 

Fill up on Fiber 

Starchy carbohydrates are a really important part of a healthy diet and should make up about a third of the food we eat. Try to keep a selection of breads in the freezer for sandwiches and choose whole grain varieties when you can. Using a different type of bread each day can make sandwiches more interesting. Alternatively, you could meal-prep the night before and cook extra pasta, rice or potatoes and then add a low-calorie dressing on top. We are biased here at Willowbrook and would obviously recommend the potato option every time! Even for a lunchtime snack you could have some popcorn which is also high in fiber. 

Always remember Fruit and Veg 

We all know by now that we need our daily 5-a-day of fruit and veg. However, you would be surprised at how many people reach the end of the day and realise they haven’t eaten any fruit or veg at all. By including 2-3 items of fruit and veg into your packed lunch through salads, fillings in sandwiches and dried fruit pots, you will have half your 5-a-day covered easily! Fruit is also very high in fiber which can help maintain a healthy gut and can help control blood sugar levels. There are also super-foods which are nutrient dense and worth including in your packed lunch such as, tomatoes, beetroot, blueberries, raspberries ,and broccoli.  

We hope these tips will help you pack your healthy packed lunches. Subscribe to our website to keep up to date with what Willowbrook products you could use in your packed lunch!