Why you should include a Sandwich in the Lunchbox

Back to School!! Which means back to early mornings, the early morning traffic, getting uniforms ready, making lunches, and the rest of the commotion. But ensuring your children have a nutritious lunch can be stressful and hard at times, however did you know how nutritious a normal sandwich containing cheese, ham and lettuce really is?

Yes, a nutritional lunch is key for growth and development of your children and a Cheese, Ham and Lettuce Sambo will pack a nutritious one!

A Healthy Lunchbox:

• 2 Slices White Bread
• 2 tsp low fat butter
• 1 Slice of Cheese
• 3 Slices of Ham
• 25g Lettuce

-> Add 200ml of Milk and 2 Mandarins for a fully nutritious lunch.

The sandwich alone provides your child with protein (81%), fibre (14%), calcium (53%), iron (22%), folic acid (38%) among more nutrients. Percentages represent the nutrient intake of RDA of a six-year-old child.

The overall lunchbox provides your child with energy (437kcals), calcium (100%), vitamin C (100%), vitamin B1 (86%), vitamin B2 (87%), vitamin B12 (100%), vitamin A (41%), omega 3 (33%) and omega 6 (30%) of their Recommended Daily Intake of nutrients.

With the combination of all these nutrients, you will be sure to be fuelling the healthy growth, development and lifestyle of your child.

Evening Snacking!

Do you always find your snacking before bed, sitting watching television and next thing find yourself half way through a tub of Ben & Jerry’s and leaving yourself feeling down and not great!? Well there is a solution!

Snacking is good and healthy and an evening snack can also be a good thing you just need to know the right foods to be snacking on.

Before bed there are snacking no no’s! These include caffeine (unless you plan to be awake all night, avoid the caffeine before bed to ensure you get a good sleep), alcohol, heavy meals (that will leave you feeling full and also contribute to weight gain) and packaged unhealthy snacks that are high in sugar and salt such as crisps and chocolate.

There are many reasons for evening snacking such as dehydration, boredom, low salt or sugar levels, lack of protein or genuinely hungry. Whatever the reason there are certain foods that snacking in the evening wont have you feeling guilty and will ensure you get a good night’s sleep! 🙂

Food’s high in protein are good as they leave you feeling fuller rather than foods high in carbohydrates. If you have evening cravings, first drink a glass of water and if this doesn’t satisfy your cravings small portions of high protein/fibre foods such as a granola bar, yoghurt , fresh fruit, veggie sticks, cereal (with low-fat milk), hardboiled egg, mixed nuts or seeds and plain popcorn are good healthy evening snacks.

So before you go to grab the quickest option to munch in front of the telly, first consider the evening snacking no no’s, try a glass of water and if this doesn’t work try a low-fat, high protein or fibre, small serving size snack, you will be feeling more positive and feeling overall better.

Remember a small change can have bigger benefits! 🙂

Quick, Easy, Healthy, Lunch Recipe!

Never know what to make for lunch? Tired of snacking on junk food in work?
Need a quick, easy and healthy option to bring to the office with you?
This recipe will have your colleagues green with envy…..

TANDOORI CHICKEN SALAD

What you will need: (for two people)

• 50g tandoori paste
• 37g natural yoghurt
• 25g baby spinach
• 375g chicken fillets
• tbsp olive oil
• a green shallot
• 125g grape tomatoes
• pinch of mint leaves
• half cucumber

For salad dressing you will need:
• 35g natural yoghurt
• tbsp olive oil
• 30g fresh lemon juice

How?

1. Mix the yoghurt and paste in a bag and add the chopped chicken fillets. Mix well so chicken is covered.
2. The chicken will need to be left in the fridge for at least an hour so the best thing to do is leave it in the fridge overnight.
3. Fry the chicken in the olive oil until piping hot.
4. Mix the sliced cucumber , chopped shallots, spinach, tomatoes and mint in a bowl and add the cooked chicken pieces.
5. Make the dressing by mixing the yoghurt, fresh lemon juice and olive oil, add pinch salt and pepper if wanted.

• Serve with a pitta bread or naan bread

Exercises for the Home:

These exercises are great for doing almost anywhere! Simple and easy to get you toned up in a just a few steps!

1. Modified Squats

The good thing about these squats is that you can do them almost anywhere, all you need is a chair, even your couch will do!

• Sit with your feet flat on the ground, arms folded, back straight, feet shoulder width apart, knees bent at a 90 degree angle.
• Lift upwards, just a couple of inches above the chair and hold for 30 seconds.

2. Press Ups

These will tone up your triceps ( back of upper arm) and also your pecs (chest).

•Lie face down with your back straight and legs extended straight, with your palms on the ground about shoulder width apart and have your arms extended straight so that they are supporting your body.
• Slowly bend your elbows and lower yourself towards the floor keeping your alignment and push back up through your arms and chest.

Tip: If you find these hard, first try by resting your knees on the floor, keeping back and neck alignment.

3. Back Extension

This exercise will tone up your back and stomach!

•Lie face down on the floor, arms straight at your sides, face facing floor and legs extended straight also.
• Lift your head towards the ceiling using your stomach and back and hold for 5-10 seconds.

Tip: Raise legs as well as head to further progress.

4. Plank

This effective and easy exercise is great for strengthening your core muscles.

• Lie face facing the floor, keeping back and legs straight, rest on your elbows and toes and hold for 30secs.

Veggie Patch

Found my first green bean today from my veggie patch!! 😊

Started growing a few of my own vegetables last month, nice to see how they are growing like crazy! Had to plant 6ft bamboos for these they are growing that quick!

Hopefully will have many more soon!

I also found this!              A carrot I pulled up early, too eager!!