Back to School Lunches

5th September 2017

The kids go back to school this week and it’s time to grab those last minute essential items they will need for the new term.

Garden Square’s stores have everything for their return, including an array of goodies for back to school lunches.

Lunch Preparation

Do you see lunch preparation as a chore? Are you looking for ways to make lunches more interesting, for you and your children? Then our top tips can help!

1) Keep It Simple
Children get bored of having the same lunch every day, so planning in advance will make it easier for you and more exciting for them. Use a planning chart, calendar or diary to keep track of each day or week and try to alternate between different sandwiches, salads, snacks and fruit and veg. The Works have a great range of planners and diaries in-store.

2) Fun Food
Get creative and make lunchtimes fun by cutting food into different shapes and characters, write messages on banana skins or orange peels, wrap food in colourful designs and put jokes, stories or drawings into the box too. The Fruit & Veg Hut at Garden Square has a great range of goodies, perfect for healthy lunches.

3) Play It Cool
Ensure that all perishable foods, such as yoghurts, are kept fresh by covering them well. Keep them cool by including a bottle of frozen water in the lunchbox. Grab a bottle of water from Iceland in the Square.

4) Portion Sizes
If your little one has a little appetite, pack half a sandwich instead of a whole one and supplement it with healthy snacks. It’s a good idea to check that the ingredients are easy to eat too. If anything inside is too sticky, dry or spicy, that could put them off eating it.

5) Treat Time!
Children can get easily distracted and may not finish their lunch. Bring some excitement to lunch time by giving them something to look forward to. By adding a small chocolate bar or bag of sweets to their lunch box once a week, this can act as a reward and an incentive to them to keep eating their lunch each day. Head to Poundland in the Square for a variety of sweet treats.

6) Personalisation
Make sure your child’s lunchbox is labelled with their name, so it doesn’t get mixed up with anyone else’s. You could also ask your children to decorate their own lunch box, helping them demonstrate their creative flair and be proud to carry their creation to school! Head to WH Smith, The Works and Home Bargains in Garden Square to stock up on everything arty.

With these tips and a wealth of tasty ideas at Garden Square Shopping Centre’s stores, lunch time need never be dull again!