Thinking outside the lunch box

Having a fussy eater in the family can drive even the most patient parent to despair. Dietician and mother-of-two Kate Di Prima shares some tips and tricks to help your child enjoy healthy food.

Being the mother of two school-age children has not only enriched my life, it has also helped me in my career as a dietician. Having seen my kids' lunches come home untouched, I've experienced first-hand the pressures of providing healthy, interesting food for children - and of running out of ideas for things they will actually eat.

Healthy eating is like a playground; you set the boundaries, but once inside kids can be let loose to explore. My philosophy is to keep it simple, include your children in the planning, and whenever they say they don't like something, ask them to "try it".

Lunch-box essentials
Children look for tasty, quick and easy-to-eat foods so they can get out there and play. Still, don't overfill the box with lots of compartments; it's not a fishing-tackle box. More than four or five choices will overwhelm children, and it's difficult to provide that many different healthy options.

• Fruit. Children prefer grab-and-go chopped fruits to whole fruits. Keep the skin on for its fibre. Freeze fruit such as orange and mandarin wedges, berries and grapes to keep the lunch box temptingly cold.
• Wholegrain sandwich, wrap or crackers with a protein filling. Protein fills kids up and slows the absorption of carbohydrates to give them sustained energy for concentration and alertness. Don't just stop at meat or chicken. There's also fish (try tuna or salmon), eggs, cheese and legumes (such as beans and chickpeas), or even hummus or bean dip.
• Dairy or soy-based equivalent. CalciYum, a low-fat flavoured milk that comes in small 250ml containers, Yoplait, Vaalia and Ski yoghurts are all good choices.
• Bakery item such as pikelets, scones or scrolls (see recipe over the page). Fruit loaf or banana and carrot cakes are healthier than chocolate or sponge cakes if you make them with fresh fruit. Excess sugar comes with the icing, so save that for birthdays.
• Small nibble food. Dried fruit and vegetable sticks are ideal. Breakfast cereals (such as Cheerios and Mini-Wheats) are a healthier option than sweet biscuits, and many are fortified with iron.

The brain-power box
(high in protein and iron)

Morning tea: slice of fruit loaf with cream cheese; a low-fat yoghurt.

Lunch: baked beans and cheese toasties, wrapped in aluminium foil (children will love these as much as leftover pizza), orange wedges.

The energy box
(high in slow-release energy and fibre)

Morning tea: chopped apple, wholegrain crackers and hummus dip.

Lunch: turkey, cranberry and cream cheese rolled in pita bread and cut into bite-sized wheels; watermelon balls.

Navigating the tuckshop
Children love the canteen - however, many don't know how to self-regulate.

Here are a few handy tips.

• Don't send kids off to the tuckshop with large amounts of cash. They'll only feel they have to spend it.
• Write tuckshop bags at home to minimise spontaneous buying. A pre-ordering system is even better.
• Become familiar with the options. State Government incentives - Fresh Tastes @ School in NSW (healthy-kids.com.au) and Go For Your Life in Victoria (goforyourlife.vic.gov.au) - list tuckshop foods in three categories; green, amber and red. "
• Green" foods are healthy enough to eat daily; "amber" foods are higher in fat, salt or sugar and are recommended no more than once a week; while "red" foods (soft drink and deep-fried foods) are occasional foods that should only be served twice a term.
• Always order something that contains protein; a cheese and Vegemite sandwich has longer-lasting energy than a straight Vegemite sandwich.
• Teach kids about the benefits of foods that will give them energy and brainpower. A child as young as four will understand the idea that food helps them run fast or makes their hair grow long and shiny.

In an ideal world
Clifton Hill Primary School in Melbourne provides nothing but healthy options for its students, including Vietnamese rice-noodle salad, deli-style wraps, sushi and fresh pizza. Anything cooked is prepared from market-fresh ingredients and most items fall within the "green" category, which means they are low in fat, sugar and salt. Pies, sausage rolls and hot dogs have been removed from the menu and new seasonal selections are voted in by the children.

Tuckshop sales have increased since the overhaul and the menu is used in the classroom to teach children about healthy eating practices. Parents are encouraged to order online to reduce the amount of cash their children carry (and so they know exactly what their little ones are eating).

Healthy snacks
Morning tea and afternoon tea are important to keep children's energy levels even. Don't cut out afternoon tea in an attempt to make your children eat more at dinner. This strategy can backfire because the body breaks down stored fuel during fasting, to keep the metabolism going, and releases ketones that suppress the appetite further. Always offer some fresh fruit as a snack.

Being creative will improve your chances of success.

• Poach apples or rhubarb and top with frozen yoghurt, or blend strawberries or mango into low-fat frozen yoghurt and freeze into ice-cream moulds.
• Fill toasted wholemeal or fruit-bread sandwiches with chopped banana. Or fill a burrito or wrap, roll up and cut into sushi-like rolls.
• Thread fresh and dried fruit onto skewers and present them as bright kebabs.
• Smoothies are high in protein, calcium and B-group vitamins - add a Weet-Bix for extra iron and fibre. Berries are high in antioxidants and vitamin C.

Managing fussy eaters
Fussy eaters usually have a fear of the unknown. Surprising these kids with something new in their lunch box is not a good idea; try it on the weekend when you can discuss it with them. Preparing food together teaches children about healthy eating, exposes them to many different types of foods and can be a wonderful shared experience.

Kate Di Prima is the author of Kids Meals. She is an accredited practising dietitian who specialises in family nutrition, and is mother of Jack, 8, and Rosie, 5.

Sweet or savoury scrolls
This snack contains fibre, calcium, B vitamins and healthy fats.

2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour
90g olive oil margarine
1/2-2/3 cup low-fat milk

Sweet filling
1 tbsp olive oil margarine
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup sultanas

Savoury filling
1 tbsp Vegemite (or Promite)
2/3 cup low-fat grated cheese

MAKES 12

Preheat oven to 180C.

Place flour and margarine in bowl. Rub together with fingers until it feels like breadcrumbs. Slowly add milk until a dough forms.

Roll out onto floured surface until it is about 2cm thick and forms a rectangle. Cover with sweet or savoury filling. Roll dough into a cylinder shape. Cut into rounds about 2cm thick and arrange flat on a tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove and cool.

TIPS FOR FEEDING FUSSY EATERS

Save treats and surprises for the weekend.

Cut meats - ham, chicken or beef - into small pieces and place in small containers to be eaten alongside sandwiches.

Pack hard-boiled eggs, tuna and cheese cubes apart from sandwiches. Fussy eaters will get the nutritional benefits without whinging about soggy bread or complaining that you're messing with their Vegemite.