Your child’s snack box: what’s in and what’s out

I try to give my son healthy snacks for school but he always wants what his friends have, which is often junk food such as sweets and crisps. Sometimes I give him home-made cookies, but he prefers the commercial varieties. It is very frustrating. Shouldn’t his school ban junk food?

I have been horrified at the snacks some children bring to school. I always wonder who packs their snack boxes and whether the parents actually know what is in there.

Peer pressure is strong at this age. It makes it difficult to insist that your son eats healthily when he is surrounded by friends who consistently eat junk food. Without guidance or monitoring from parents, most children would choose this type of food as often as they could get away with it. I remember being upset when my parents gave me fruit when most of my friends had sweets or crisps. However, when I got older I appreciated their persistence as many of my peers developed mouths full of fillings by the time they were teenagers.

SEE ALSO: Healthy snack box trend catches on in Hong Kong

The media is full of information about the dangers of child obesity, so there is no excuse for parents not knowing the facts. Research shows that consistently eating junk food significantly increases the risk of obesity, cancer and other diseases. Fizzy drinks have a horrendous amount of sugar and yet some parents continue to allow their children to consume these on a daily basis and some schools even sell them.

Junk food can also have a negative impact on a child’s learning and behaviour. Additives, preservatives and food colourings found in these foods can lead to hyperactivity in some children, which affects their ability to concentrate in the classroom.

You are right to stick to your beliefs despite the difficulties. It is important that your son understands the reasons why you give him healthy snacks and that he doesn’t feel deprived as this could backfire. Allow him to have small amounts of junk food on occasions, at the weekend for example, but do not use this type of food as a reward. Set a good example by eating healthily yourself and stocking very little junk food at home. If your son knows it is there he is likely to crave it more.

Give him some responsibility for packing his own lunch box as children tend to be more compliant when given some choice. Vary his snacks to make them more interesting and make the food look attractive. Putting different foods into small compartments is often appealing to children – this works well with healthy finger food such as fruit and chopped raw vegetables with tasty home-made dips. For sweeter alternatives home-made cookies and cereal bars are a good option as you know they are not laden with colourings and preservatives.

Make sure your son has a good breakfast before he goes to school as this will raise his blood sugar, kick-start his brain and improve his performance. Research has shown that children who eat a balanced breakfast are able to work faster, concentrate better and have more energy.