Brain-boosting food ideas for the kids packed lunches

Are kids bored with the same old sarnies? Jazz up their pack-ups this year with these healthy alternatives that will keep them alert all afternoon. If you’re worried about how much school your children missed out on in lockdown, get them back on track with these brain-boosting foods!

Lunch is an important part of the school day, healthy foods give children the nutrition they need to grow properly and helps them perform well at school. With this in mind, here are a few tasty and healthy ideas to think about the next time you’re packing those school lunch boxes!

Eggs

Eggs are a powerhouse of nutrition packed with protein and vitamins including choline which is essential for brain function.

Think of all the things you can do with eggs, they’re so versatile! You can scramble them, fry them, bake and poach them. But for your children’s packed lunches, you can chop up a boiled egg for a salad, make your own scotch eggs or a delicious egg mayo and cress sandwich on wholemeal bread.

Try making some egg muffins, all you need is eggs, cheese, chopped up vegetables like peppers, sweetcorn or spring onions and bake them in the oven until golden and cooked through, your kids will love them!

Salmon

If you’re lucky enough that your children love salmon, this is good for you and for them! When it comes to brain-boosting foods, fish is top of the list especially salmon, which is one of the best sources of Omega-3.

Around 60% of the brain is made of fat, with half being the omega-3 kind which is used to build brain and nerve cells. Omega-3 is essential for learning and memory.

Bagels are popular with kids so for a lunchtime treat, fill a wholemeal bagel with some light cream cheese spread, smoked or flaked salmon and some salad for a bit of crunch.

Blueberries

Blueberries are an antioxidant superfood known to significantly improve brain function and memory.

Try a handful of blueberries in your children’s packed lunches, they’re naturally sweet and will count as one of their five a day!

Alternatively, whip up some mini blueberry muffins at the weekend with your kids ready for their lunches.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates make up one of the five food groups. The body uses carbohydrates as its main source of energy. Carbohydrates are present in starchy foods like pasta, potato salad and bread which are great lunchtime options!

Whip up a colourful pasta salad filled with tomatoes, fish (if your children like it) and lettuce. Or make a tasty potato salad with low-fat mayo, crunchy celery and spring onions.

Watermelon

For a refreshing treat, chop up some watermelon triangles and pack them in the lunch box, It’s important to keep hydrated throughout the day! When we’re hydrated, we have more energy which boosts concentration.

Water is a great choice as its better for the teeth than squash or juice, but for a little pallet cleanser after sandwiches or salads, watermelon is a tasty and sweet alternative plus it's made up of 92% water.