With the return to school, a concern also returns: the healthy lunch box. What should I send in my child's lunchbox? How to ensure that food is preserved and safe until snack time?

The answer is simple: basically, we should pack something that will hydrate us, a carbohydrate that will provide quick energy and some other food that will provide energy more slowly, gradually. For example:

Hydration: water, coconut water, natural fruit juice or diluted pulp (half pulp + half water)

“Fast” Energy: Fresh Fruits and Dried Fruits

“Slow” energy: here we have more than one food group – nuts and oilseeds, whole grain cereals, whole grain cookies and cakes, dairy products and some other foods rich in fiber, such as raw vegetables, for example.

The best way to ensure that snacks stay cool and are transported safely is with lunch boxes or thermal pots that ensure proper temperature maintenance until it's time to eat.

If you notice that the child is not interested in snacks, because the lunch box comes back full, it is interesting to involve him in the preparation and use attractions. A beautiful snack is always more interesting. Using different cutters for fruits and sandwiches makes snacking fun and more inviting.

We must be careful, because the day-to-day rush can make us opt for unhealthy processed foods. The villains of lunch boxes are: sausages, sugary fruit nectars, snacks, fried foods, dairy drinks like sugary yogurts and fake whole foods. We must get into the habit of reading labels and avoiding products with very long ingredient lists. Artificial sweeteners, dyes and preservatives are present in large quantities in these products and do not contribute to our health! The basic rule is: in the lunch box we should have more real food and less industrialized products.

And remember: snacks are held in groups. A child's unhealthy snack can negatively influence the acceptance of a healthy snack by a classmate. Make conscious choices.

Below are some snack ideas:

• Fruit + oats + coconut water
• Fruit + granola + water
• Homemade popcorn + fruit + water
• Natural yogurt + fruit + oats
• Wholemeal bread with white cheese + fruit + coconut water
• Wholemeal bread with ricotta and tomato + fruit juice + water
• Fruit + nuts + coconut water
• Dried fruit + nuts + water
• Cherry tomato + white cheese + fruit juice
• Finely chopped carrot + cottage cheese + fruit juice
• Tapioca with sesame and fruit jelly + fruit juice
• Fruit + wholemeal biscuit + coconut water
• Homemade cake + fruit + water
• Boiled corn + white cheese + fruit juice