As children return back to school, getting back into your child’s usual eating routine can be tricky. Whether it’s keeping up with their demand for snacks or coming up with ways to keep lunch box meals exciting, making sure they maintain a balanced and healthy diet on a budget can be difficult – and that’s before factoring in working too.
To help get back into the swing of things, FLORA has teamed up with Consultant Nutritionist Rob Hobson to share cost-conscious health hacks ensuring little ones enjoy healthy alternatives throughout the autumn term.
In addition to healthy food hacks, nutritionist Rob Hobson explains why Omegas 3 and 6 are essential for children growing up.
“Fatty acids are considered essential because they can't be made in the body. There are several Omega 3 fatty acids which include EPA, and DHA, found in oily fish, and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), found predominantly in plant-based oils. The essential Omega 6 fatty acid is called linolenic acid (LA), which can be found in foods such as nuts, seeds, and plant-based spreads.
“There are many health hacks for adults to do with children or for children to do with their friends that can help them to explore the fun side of healthy eating this autumn, without spending a fortune.”
COST-EFFECTIVE BACK-TO-SCHOOL HEALTHY FOOD HACKS
Lunch boxes on a budget
You can make a great sandwich filler from chopped canned beans and pulses like red kidney beans which can be spread into a wrap along with crumbled cheese and salad to put into your child’s school lunchbox.
It’s also reasonably cost effective to make a batch of mushroom risotto, which can be divided into Tupperware so that children can take a portion to school, utilising tasty and versatile FLORA Buttery to add flavour instead of oils or dairy butter.
Buying frozen veg is also a great easy way to cut down costs verses buying fresh produce. You can buy a big tub of natural yoghurt and decant into small pots which you can top with frozen fruit either whole or made it into a compote. To make the compote, add your choice of frozen fruit to a pan with a couple of tbsp of water and a little sugar then heat gently on a hob until the fruit breaks down.
Thinking ahead
Sitting down with the kids on a weekend ahead of the school week to discuss lunch and meal plans is a great family activity which will teach children essential skills in planning and budgeting and hopefully avoid waste by involving them in selecting their favourite meals. This will also allow you to buy in bulk for the week and check best before dates when purchasing products so that nothing is wasted.
Get your kids to have a rummage through the cupboards and fridge to see if they have any ideas on what to make - this engaging and entertaining activity will help you make cost-effective meals – utilising canned foods from the back of the cupboard and using versatile fridge staples.
It’s also a great idea to teach your kids how to batch cook, which is a proven budget effective method of making meals for the week or meals which can be frozen and used later.
Autumn activities on a budget
One brilliant way to entertain your kids for a relatively low cost, which results in having lots of yummy healthy foods at home, is to go berry or vegetable picking at the end of summer.
Root vegetables like carrots and beetroot are packed with fibre and antioxidants, which are great for supporting children’s immune systems. Slice them finely and pop them in the oven with a spoonful of FLORA Buttery or 100% Natural Ingredients to get a crispy, tasty coat; a healthier alternative to crisps and a great way to get the kids to enjoy more veggies.
Hearty meals like curries and casseroles are great options for nutritious meals. Use seasonal vegetables like pumpkin (which can be particularly fun ahead of Halloween and families can go pumpkin picking together), cauliflower, and butternut squash for the base, then add in pulses like kidney beans or chickpeas for a source of protein.
If you don’t have a back garden, you can also show your children how to grow their own vegetables in a compost bag. It’s also a fun activity for kids to grow their own watercress and herbs, which can be grown in any plastic packaging you have such as empty yogurt pots, so they can watch these grow on the windowsill.
Feeling fruity
If little ones fancy a sweet treat, then crumbles are a fun dessert to make and are also a great way to incorporate getting in another one of their five a day. Buy frozen berries or canned fruit to help reduce costs. Use FLORA Buttery spread instead of dairy butter for the crumble topping.
Apples, pears, and blackberries are also in season, which is perfect for a delicious pancake topping and easy to make.
All about the veggies
Root veggies are brilliant to add as a component to your meals and you can melt FLORA Buttery over the top when they’re almost ready to serve to add flavour.
