Summer holidays: Prepare the perfect picnic
Most of us know that eating a healthy, balanced diet is very important, but children in particular need to be eating all of the necessary nutrients for growth and development. While we can fall into a routine during term time, when the summer holidays roll round, it can be quite difficult to keep on track.
A healthy diet and regular physical activity helps to stabilise energy levels, sharpen the mind and improve mood - both in and out of school hours. But how can you keep your kids interested in healthy food, as well as entertained over the six weeks of summer?
Learn more about healthy eating for kids and discover new lunchbox ideas on our dedicated fact-sheets.
Preparing the perfect picnic
Just like you, children need to eat a variety of foods in order to get the nutrients essential to their development. We understand that children can be picky eaters, so our ‘perfect picnic’ combines healthy eating with fun, enjoyable recipes that they can get involved with.
The first step is to write a list of all the foods you know your child enjoys. If you are unsure, ask them! One way to make this a fun experience is to include them in the decision making. What do they want to eat? Perhaps suggest them picking out 5 colours, and then heading into the supermarket and choosing the vegetables that match the colour.
If you’re stuck for ideas, we have a basic shopping list below. Also, make sure you have plenty of tupperware, packing away all the snacks is part of the fun!
Picnic shopping list
- Greek yoghurt
- blueberries
- apples
- cinnamon
- carrots
- tomatoes
- cucumber
- eggs
- wholegrain wraps
- ham or chicken
- leafy greens
- banana
- peanut butter.
Next, prepare all of your snacks! This is a great chance to get your kids involved and using their hands. Being a part of the making process keeps them busy, but also makes them aware of the foods you will all be nibbling on.
Spoon out some Greek yoghurt into tupperware pots and pass the blueberries to your child. Give them the freedom to add the berries in a shape or a face! Slice up the apples and sprinkle some cinnamon on the top. Chop the carrots and cucumber into sticks and slice the tomatoes. Once again, pass them to your kids and ask them to add a mixture of all colours into boxes.
Hard boiled eggs are a great picnic addition, while they’re cooking, get started on making some ham salad wraps. Chop them into bite size rolls and add them to your bag.
For a final sweet treat, slice up the bananas. Get the children to help you spread a little peanut butter on top, then add another slice of banana, making tiny banana sandwiches!
When all your food is prepped and ready, head over to your favourite spot and enjoy the day!