Healthy lunchbox ideas

Your child’s lunch box can contain food from all of the five food groups. The food groups are; breads and cereals, fruit, vegetables, meat/meat alternatives and dairy/dairy alternatives. Some examples can be found at www.nutritionaustralia.org

Try these in the lunchbox:

• lean ham and salad wrap
• banana and handful of grapes
• sliced vegetables (carrots, cucumber, tomatoes)
• handful of reduced fat cheese cubes
• bottle of water!

Healthy food children will love!

• Blend fruit with milk and a spoonful of low fat yoghurt to make a smoothie.
• Freeze fruit (such as grapes, pear or banana).
• Top toast with ricotta cheese, banana slices and cinnamon.
• Cut vegies into bite-sized pieces.
• Mix chopped tomato and green capsicum with baked beans.  Put the mixture on toast, or in a baked    potato, and sprinkle with low-fat cheese.
• Add cooked vegetables to lightly beaten eggs.  Melt some polyunsaturated margarine in a pan and cook the mixture gently over low heat until eggs are firm.

Remember to use a cool bag or put a bottle of frozen water in the lunch box to keep food cool at school. Keep lunches interesting by including salads, wraps and dips with cut up vegies. For more recipes children will love, go to www.freshforkids.com.au

Anxiety – how to help your child

All children experience anxious feelings as part of their normal childhood development. Some anxious feelings include fear, agitation, nervousness, worry and apprehension. Some children find it harder to get these feelings under control and may experience anxiety more intensely and more often than others.

Anxiety is when the level of fear or worry about something is out of proportion to the level of risk or danger. Thinking about the situation makes them more worried and tense.

If your child is experiencing anxiety try to:

• Acknowledge your child’s fear – don’t dismiss or ignore it.
• Gently encourage them to do things they’re anxious about, but don’t push them to face situations they’re not yet ready to face.
• Wait until they actually get anxious before you step in to help
• Praise him for doing something they’re anxious about, rather than criticising them for being afraid.
• Avoid labelling your child as ‘shy’ or ‘anxious’.

Your child might need some extra support if their anxiety stops them from doing the things they want to do or interferes with their friendships, school work or family life.
If you are worried about your child, contact your local Community Health Nurse, School Psychologist or GP
Practitioner. For more information about anxiety in children go to www.raisingchildren.net.au or www.healthyfamilies.beyondblue.org.au

If you have any concerns, please contact your General Practitioner or School Health Nurse, Jane Skoll on 9391 2289.