QUICK AND HEALTHY MEALS AND SNACKS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

The world we are living in has changed and it’s not unusual for parents and children to have most of their meals away from home and some on the run. Spending less time in the kitchen means we have more time to spend with our families enjoying family meals around the table. It also means that the morning rush becomes more contained and manageable.

The Basics: Your 3-point plan for compiling delicious and nutritious meals

Step 1: Balance & Nutrition

• Daily balance. Ensure that meals throughout the day contain a variety of foods that contain protein, fat and carbohydrate. They might not be included in every meal but should be part of your daily diet.
• Balanced meals contain a combination of vegetables and/ or fruit, whole grains, legumes & pulses, fish or lean meat and foods that contain healthy fats, like plant oils, nuts, nut butters, seeds and avocado.
• Having a variety of healthy foods will ensure that you get all the nutrients you need.

Step 2: Variety & Flavour

• Variety is important. Pack lunch boxes that contain a combination of whole grains, starchy vegetables, protein rich foods, healthy fats, vegetables and fruit. On a day to day basis, vary meal options like using different types of bread for lunch boxes and rotating the type of vegetable added to meals.
• Colour on your plate. Ensure that meals and lunch boxes contain a variety of raw, fresh, steamed or grilled vegetables. Add grated or puréed fruit to unsweetened yoghurt for breakfast, add veggies to sandwiches and wraps or include them raw with a dip. Pack leftover grilled veggies like butternut wedges in the lunch box, or add grated carrot, apple and spinach to minced meat dishes.
• Buy and eat in season. Having vegetables and fruit that are in season doesn’t only provide the best nutrition, but may be more economical and more flavourful.

Step 3: Plan & be prepared

• Plan ahead. Plan weekly menus ahead of time and shop in advance. This will help to save time and money.
• Multitask. Prepare and pre-pack the next day’s lunch and even breakfast the night before while preparing supper. It saves time, effort, and ensures that you have a healthy meal at hand when you run out of the house early in the morning.
• Cook extra. Leftovers are great time saving lunch box additions. Certain foods can be stored in the fridge for a few days to use in meals, eg. brown rice, lentils, barley and bulgur wheat. Left over roast vegetables are great for wraps and salads the next day, while left over fish and chicken can be used as sandwich fillings.

TIPS FOR EATING ON THE RUN AND TRAVELLING

• Eating on the run is not ideal, as we can tend to overeat or eat mindlessly, so plan ahead and eat at the table when possible, but in the event that it can’t be helped, have healthier snacks readily available.
• Shop for travel basics like prepacked, individually portioned wholegrain or seed crackers, raw nuts, dried fruit, biltong, vegetables, chicken strips, plain yoghurt, boiled eggs and portioned cheese.
• Keep an emergency kit in your car for a snack attack. Fill an old ice cream or large plastic container with non-perishable healthy snacks such as pre-packed wholegrain or seed crackers, fruit, nut and seed bars, individually packed dried fruit, seed and nut mixes, biltong and air popped popcorn. Some fresh fruits like apples, pears, oranges and naartjies can be added to your ‘kit’ on a daily / weekly basis.
• Travel-safe foods: Get a mini cooler box to keep perishable items, like salads or sandwiches with fish, chicken, meat or egg, cool. A frozen water bottle can be used as an ice block. If you don’t have a cooler box or it’s a very hot day, opt for less perishable or non-perishable items in your travel kit, such as peanut or nut butter sandwiches, fruit, nut and seed bars, wholegrain or seed crackers, dried fruit and unsalted nuts and whole fruit instead of sliced fruit.
• Keep emergency foods in your freezer such as sliced wholegrain or seeded bread, individually wrapped home- made muffins*, frozen berries (for early morning breakfast smoothies), cooked beans and individually portioned leftovers.
• Have small containers handy to use for pre-packing vegetable snack packs (baby tomatoes, carrots, sliced cucumber, snap peas and baby corn), cottage cheese and dips (such as hummus) leftover fish cakes, meat or chicken balls and sliced chicken breast, cooked corn on the cob, or sliced fruit. Get the kids involved in pre packing of meals and snacks.
• Prepare easy to eat foods ahead of time: Boiled eggs, cooked chicken strips, lean roast beef, turkey, or chicken strips are ideal easy to eat on the run proteins; pre- packed wholegrain crackers, sliced wholewheat bread, homemade individually wrapped muffins*. This can be added to your family’s daily travel kit.
• Shop-bought muffins are generally high in sugar, made of highly refined flours and often contain unhealthy fats. Rather bake your own muffins using whole grains and wholegrain flours, nuts, seeds, and fresh fruit to sweeten. Reduce sugar added and use canola, olive or avocado oil instead of butter. For a healthier portion size, bake muffins in mini muffin pans.

“EAT MEALS THAT CONTAIN A VARIETY OF PROTEIN, FAT AND CARBOHYDRATE.

ON THE RUN SNACK IDEAS

Below is a list with more snack ideas for on the run.

• Fresh fruit
• Boiled and toasted chickpeas
• Whole grain or seed bread with no added salt or sugar peanut butter OR bean spread (such as hummus or butter- bean spread)
• Homemade popcorn
• Homemade trail mix: raw nuts or peanuts, pumpkin seeds, dried apple, dried apricots, home-made popcorn
• Smoothies
• Mini yoghurt shots
• Unsweetened yoghurt with trail mix
• Matchbox sized cheese or boiled egg with seeded crackers
• Carrot & cucumber sticks with hummus
• Vegetable chips (beetroot, carrot)
• Seed bread toast or apple slices and nut butter
• Raw nuts