Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Budget-friendly tips from Electrolux: Preparing healthy 'baon' for your kids

With school opening on the horizon, it’s time to start thinking about not only the contents of your kids book bags but also what’s inside their lunch boxes. Creating packed lunches and snacks for your kids is not only a great way to save but the way to make sure they eat nutritious food. 

That is why Electrolux is here to provide some budget-friendly tips for tasty and healthy packed lunches and snacks. Forget the hotdogs or bacon and rice combo— these dish ideas are not only easy to prepare but will go down easy with your kids as well! 


Grains

Did you know the Australian dietary guidelines recommend eating a wide variety of mostly whole grain and/or high fibre varieties of breads, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles, polenta, couscous, oats? Why? 


Because it is Good-for-your-Grain! 

Grains plays an important role for a healthy diet, providing nutrients and energy for your kids’ growth and development. One of the benefits of eating whole grains is that they are chock-full of fiber. Diets high in fiber have been shown to decrease the risk of heart disease, diabetes, constipation and unhealthy weight gain. 

A quick and easy way to incorporate fiber is through sandwiches - try making a simple clubhouse sandwich, which also contains veggies, and replace your ordinary bread with whole wheat bread. You can also replace white rice with brown rice to give your kids that fiber fix. 


Fruits and Vegetables 

Incorporating fruits and vegetables in your child’s diet can be challenging - one way to do it is to involve them in choosing and making their meal. Why not try a homemade trail mix with dried fruit, nuts, & cereal? Bring your children with you when you do the grocery shopping and let them choose a few dried fruits and nuts of their choice. You could combine them with a whole grain cereal for an easy trail mix.

Another way to include veggies into your kid’s lunchbox is by pairing crunchy vegetables like baby carrots or peppers with a tasty dip like hummus, tzatziki or homemade ranch dressing made with fat-free mayonnaise. These make great sides for lunch or even a yummy snack. 


Protein

Found in meat products, protein is required for growth and repair of muscles, as well as iron. For healthier baon, use lean meat or fish like salmon and tuna as your protein source or instead of frying meat, give them cold cuts or tuna in a sandwich. 

Eggs are another source of protein. Try packing a hard-boiled egg with your child’s lunch as one hard-boiled egg could provide 6 grams of protein.



More Healthy Snack Options


A healthy packed lunch should contain all four main food groups.

There are a lot of healthy snack items that you can give your kids besides sugary biscuits or chips. Aside from servings of chopped up fruit, you can include a single-serving pack of reduced fat chips, plain popcorn, apple or banana chips, a slice of fruit cake or unsalted nuts as a minor indulgence for your child at recess or after lunch. 

Making baon for your kids everyday may take up a lot of time, especially when you are in a rush in the morning getting everyone ready for their day. One way to cut down on prep time is to prepare a large portion of food on weekends, then divide them into single portions and keep them in your refrigerator to grab and serve when needed. 

Having a refrigerator with good storage solutions like the New Electrolux Side by Side Refrigerator ESE6200PD-PH can be a big help. It has Freezer Space Plus which give you extra freezer room perfect for storing cooked food that you can eat later in the week. It also has wide open spaces and over 20.5 cu ft. capacity to help you store and organize the food your family will eat all week long. 
“At Electrolux, we believe in helping moms and families live healthier lifestyles and one way to do this is through good nutrition. With this goal in mind, Electrolux has thoughtfully designed products that will help families in their journey to eat well, in every sense of the word,” said Andrea Pionilla, Country Marketing Manager of Electrolux Philippines. 
For more ideas on home care and healthy living, please visit electrolux.com.ph.

Electrolux is a global leader in home appliances, based on deep consumer insight and developed in close collaboration with professional users. We offer thoughtfully designed, innovative solutions for households and businesses, with products such as refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, cookers, vacuum cleaners, air conditioners and small domestic appliances. Under esteemed brands including Electrolux, AEG, Zanussi, Frigidaire and Electrolux Grand Cuisine, the Group sells more than 50 million products to customers in more than 150 markets every year. In 2014 Electrolux had sales of SEK 112 billion and 60,000 employees. For more information go to www.electroluxgroup.com. 

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