What should you prepare for your kid's lunch? Here's a great idea

The upcoming return to school is not only a time when parents wonder what supplies and textbooks to equip their child with. It's also worth considering interesting alternatives to ubiquitous fast foods, sweets, and preservative-filled colorful drinks.

Healthy food full of vitamins and minerals should accompany a child to school every day. Students often spend more time studying than some adults do in the office. The young body needs such components as vitamin D found in dairy products and egg yolks, vitamin A found in carrots, apricots, or peaches, vitamin E available in nuts and whole grains, as well as calcium found in dairy products, and also magnesium, iron, and many others.

The easiest school meal to prepare are sandwiches and there's nothing wrong with that, as long as it's tasty and healthy as well. Therefore, it's worth choosing bread or rolls with added sunflower and pumpkin seeds. An even better idea would be rye sourdough bread without yeast or bread made from millet, buckwheat, and corn flour. You can also opt for whole grain bread and pumpernickel.

Among the ingredients, you can find eggs, dairy, high-quality deli meats, and healthy vegetable spreads. However, if you have a bit of time and enthusiasm, you can replace sandwiches with other interesting options, which will certainly appeal to your child. On the list can include various kinds of salads, homemade wraps, savory or sweet pancakes, waffles with fruit toppings, healthy cupcakes, and muffins.

Everyone repeats the mantra that we need to drink water, but it turns out it's not as perfect as we think. Scientists from Scotland's St. Andrews University compared different beverages for their effectiveness in hydration and this is not only about fluid delivery but also their maintenance. Here, drinks containing even a small amount of sugar, fat, or protein performed best. Water was outpaced by drinks such as skim milk, orange juice, tea, and isotonic beverages.

So the question arises, what then is worth giving the child instead of water, especially since its taste does not stand out attractively in the thicket of colorful, fizzy drinks. A classic also recommended among athletes is a drink made of water, lemon juice squeezed, honey, and a pinch of salt. First, the honey is dissolved, and then salt and juice are added. Here it is worth using mineral water. You can also go for freshly squeezed orange juice or compote. In the case of tea, you can simply brew it, then cool it, sweeten it with honey, and add slices of lemon or orange and mint leaves.

When storing beverages, it's best to opt for bottles with a seal that is tight and difficult to accidentally open. Additionally, some bottles have a non-slip grip, so they won't slip from your hand, for instance, when your child is running. As for the material, strong glass is the best option as it doesn't absorb smells for a long period of time. This makes it easier to keep clean and ensures that the bottle will last for a long time. Of course, there's nothing wrong with using bottles made of plastic, but these may require more frequent replacement.

The lunchbox should primarily be safe in terms of the materials used for its production. Such containers have a designation that they are suitable for contact with food. It is worth looking for labels indicating no BPA, 5/PP, 4/LDPE. The easiest to keep clean will be containers made of glass or metal. The lunchbox should be sealed and if you give your child more snacks or food that needs to be mixed before eating, pay attention to the presence of partitions. Thanks to them, the food will be organized, fresh, and tasty.