How to make a lunchbox for a child attractive and tasty: 5 life hacks from a professional chef

A lunchbox is a handy and compact box designed to store and transport ready-to-eat food. Such boxes are usually small in volume, which allows you to put food in them for 1 serving. It is convenient to take them to school with your child, and children love to eat from them.

Honey Parenting writes: "However, there is one problem - not all parents know how to properly pack lunchboxes so that they look attractive and are nutritious at the same time. And if you've ever browsed Instagram looking for baby food ideas, chances are you've come across "Bernadette Hanley".

Hanley is the creative and culinary director of Goodie Goodie Lunchbox, a lunchbox recipe and inspiration account with nearly 90,000 followers. Her creations are colorful and fun, prioritizing nutrition, flavor, and new and unfamiliar foods.

SSPDaily prepared tips to help you pack a balanced lunchbox for your kids that they will actually want to eat.

Pack foods that kids can eat quickly

Children are very busy at recess and lunchtime. Hanley says we often underestimate how quickly kids want to eat their food and get back outside when they need to talk to friends and play.

That's why she prefers to pack smaller fruits and vegetables, such as muffins or blueberries, or cut everything into pieces.

Bliss balls are another favorite dish in Hanli's khan. "They are easy to make in advance, freeze well, and my kids always eat them."

The expert also recommends adding tasty and nutritious dry cereals to the lunchbox to add textural differences.

Do not limit yourself to a sandwich

It doesn't take much to make lunch interesting for kids. According to Hanley, it's as simple as recycling an old item.

"You can put a regular salad and cheese sandwich in a whole grain wrap," she suggests. "It'll look a little different, and it won't require a lot of effort."

Make the freezer your friend

Baking in batches and freezing them later is a great way to save time and money, and it comes in handy on those nights when you're out of ideas (and fresh produce). Hanley says it's a "lifesaver" for her.

"I like to serve them baked goods that have some vegetables in them," she explains, offering recipes such as chocolate zucchini brownies or chocolate sweet potato muffins.

"Any dish that has a little extra nutritional value is very important."

Turn dinner into lunch

Hanley also suggests making a double portion of lunch and putting the leftovers in the kids' lunchboxes the next day. "Things like zucchini slices are always a great option," she says.

Don't be afraid if your child doesn't finish eating

Many parents complain that at the end of the day, the food from their child's lunchbox is returned. Hanley advises not to worry.

"As an adult, I have a different appetite depending on how active or inactive I am that day, whether I had a particularly large dinner the night before, and I think it's much the same with kids," she says. .

Hanley says she likes her kids to decide what they want to eat and what they don't want to eat, and to listen to their hunger. If you use food-safe insulated lunch bags, she says, leftovers can be re-served for afternoon tea or dinner to avoid food waste.

Ultimately, according to Hanley, a well-prepared lunchbox is like a "magic trick." A little imagination and a lot of color, and you'll be surprised at how much delicious food your child will eat.