Smart Lunch 321
The importance of a balanced diet
A balanced diet provides children with all the required nutrients for healthy growth. It also improves their learning power and reduces illness.
The secret of a healthy lunch
A healthy lunch box should provide grains (e.g. rice noodles, noodles and rice), vegetables, and meat and its alternatives in the ratio of 3:2:1.
If a healthy lunch box is divided into six parts, grains should take up three; vegetables should take up two, and meat and its alternatives should take up one. In other words, the ratio among grains, vegetables, and meat and its alternatives is 3:2:1.
3 GRAINS
Take three parts |
2 Vegetables
Take two parts |
1 Meat
Take one part |
Be a smart eater
What should be included in a healthy lunch?
Answer: Grains and vegetables should take up the largest proportion, followed by meat and fruit.
* Grains are the primary source of energy. They can provide what children need during learning and exercise. Food under this category includes: congee, rice noodles, noodles, rice, bread and potatoes.
* There are many different choices for vegetables, e.g. choy sum, spinach, bok choy, wax gourd, hairy gourd, dried mushroom and straw mushroom, etc.
* Lean meat, fish or skinned chicken are recommended. Eggs and beancurd are also good alternatives.
* Water is always the preferred beverage. Other healthy options include low-sugar soymilk, low-fat milk, skim milk and clear soup.
* Choose fresh food. Choose fewer processed, preserved and deep-fried items like sausages, ham, bacon and deep-fried pork chops.
Fruit is tasty and healthy
Children may take it as a dessert after meal!
Website of the 'EatSmart@school.hk' Campaign: http://school.eatsmart.gov.hk/en/template/home.asp
24-hour Health Education Hotline of the Department of Health: 28330111
Revised in 2017
