If chosen carefully, school snacks supply food group servings and nutrients that may be missing from the day's meals. They help children stay active, develop concentration and enhance learning by providing them energy and nutrients.

In many developed countries, much stress has been placed on designing school meals. These meals are prepared by authorities according to the national nutritional standards. These standards ensure that children are provided with a healthy and balanced diet. In this regard, some work has also been done in Pakistan, like the initiation of 'Tawana Pakistan' programme. Through this project the concept and significance of school lunch was highlighted by implementing a large scale school lunch programme among the rural population of Pakistan. This project was successful in improving the health status of malnourished young girls belonging to rural areas of Pakistan.

What should be given to children in lunch boxes?

In most schools, canteens offer foods like biscuits, samosas, chips, burgers, rolls, fizzy drinks, etc. If children are buying these foods, they are making poor choices and eating an unhealthy lunch, which may be one of the reasons that more children are becoming malnourished.

Many parents face a tough time encouraging their children to eat well at home and think they dont have any control over what their children eat at school. In reality, if parents are aware of food preferences their children have, they can influence what their children eat not only at home but at school also.

If you are having trouble planning your child's school lunches, ask your child for his/her input and let him/her help pack the lunch. Utilise school lunches to steer kids towards good and healthy food choices, especially with younger children. Explain to them how a nutritious school lunch will give them the energy to finish the rest of the school day and enjoy after-school activities.

Try the following tips to make the school lunch box interesting and nourishing for your kid

•Respect your child's food preferences and appetite. Let him/her choose what to eat from what you are offering

•Avoid repetition of food items. children always enjoy variety and visually appealing foods. Try not to give any one food on a daily basis. It is always best to plan school lunch for a week to avoid repetition

• In addition to usual items like jams, jellies, peanut butter sandwich and French toasts, try nuggets, stuffed grilled chicken sandwich with veggies or pullao or vegetable rice

• Children usually do not like raw vegetables. Try to add some portions of vegetables in different foods like rice, sandwiches, noodles, rolls, cutlets, etc.

• If last nights' leftovers include chicken tikka or kebabs or minced meat, use them either with bread or pasta or noodles after adding cheese or some veggies

• Your child's fibre requirement can be satisfied by making simple yet tasty chicken or veggie-n-cheese omelette or potato cutlets or kebab rolls with whole wheat chapatti

• If your child is a fast-food fan then you can also give him or her home-made pizza or burger or chicken nuggets or meat balls

• For most children, having the right 'lunch container' is important and appealing. Ask what your child prefers. A lunch box is easier to clean, just be sure to clean it after every use. If a brown bag is preferred, then always use a new one

• Always keep in mind the temperature and weather while planning lunch for your child. Avoid giving very perishable items in such weather when they are likely to get spoiled

•Provide your child with the right type of cutlery which would be appropriate for the lunch you have given, so that he or she would not have to hassle for the same. Like giving a fork for noodles or spaghetti and a spoon for rice

•At school, children may prefer to play with friends instead of eating. Encourage your child to sit and eat before heading out to play, or talk to school administration about making sure that all children get a chance to eat enough before they start playing

•Always try to give lunch in a suitable manner. For example, if you are giving a sandwich for lunch, then cut it in half for making it easier to eat

•Keep portion size according to your child's appetite

•Always give a napkin along with lunch box or bag

•Instead of buying fizzy drinks and artificial juices from school canteen, encourage your child to take along fresh fruit or fresh pulpy fruit juice or yoghurt packet or milk (flavoured milk can also be given)

•Along with lunch box, give a clean water bottle to your child

•Last but not the least, praise your child when he or she chooses healthy foods and finishes the lunch.