Healthy lunches and snacks at school are important for children of all ages.Tips for lunch boxes include fresh fruit,variety of crunchy vegetables and a good combination of protein, dairy and carbohydrate foods which will provide energy to children.

Eating healthy helps children to concentrate and learn well.Though, healthy eating changes are not easy to make.At first try to set a good example with your own lunches. Encourage children to help pick and prepare their own lunch box. They might like to make a list of the foods they enjoy eating. Praise your children when they pick healthy foods for their lunch boxes.

It is often seen that there is limited time for children to eat during the entire day, especially when at school. Children may often prefer to play with friends and mates instead of eating their lunch . Encourage them to sit and eat before heading off to play, or talk to your child's school about making it sure that children eat enough before the play time starts.and also keep in mind that the other meals are carrying good supplement to replace the nutrients .

The Food that is to be put in a lunch box may be as follows:-
Fresh fruit such as grapes ,papaya banana apple (brown apple is rich in iron )Dried fruits are sticky and high in sugar, so have it occasionally.
Crunchy vegetables just fry in very little oil and sprinkled with pepper and salt
A meat or protein food such as slices of lean meat, hard boiled egg or egg fry peanut butter or nut paste of a thin layer of butter home made Amul butter
Dairy food such as a cheese stick or slice or cube, grated cheese, milk shake or yogurt shake
whole wheat bread or chapati roll with stuff vegetables,fruit bread or crackers or butter and bun or cake.oat biscuits .or give idli or uttapam or sandwiches.
and a bottle of Water.

Food safety

Avoid junk food and ready made chips etc as it spoils the digestion of the children ,once in a blue moon is ok.Often food stuff is stored in lunch boxes for several hours,thus the insulated box needs to stay cool from outside.
include a wrapped frozen water bottle to keep the lunch box cool.
It is important to follow hygienic preparation methods.especially its important when food will be stored in the lunch box for many hours before its will be eaten.

Perishable foods like dairy products, eggs and sliced meats should be kept to the room temperature and eaten within about four hours of preparation. Avoid packing these food stuff immediately after been cooked. First cool it then pack.

Find out the reason why children are eating their lunch
Often schoolchildren bring their lunch home. There may be number of reasons as to why that is happening .
the reasons may be that the container into which the food is packed may not be good or liked by your child or it may be difficult to unpack it for having it.
do not pack same tiffin everyday .the child likes variety.
Fiddly and sticky food is not liked by children make sure the food is manageable and easy to eat.