Healthy meal options

Breakfast:

  • Add sliced fruits into cereal
    • Try adding fresh bananas, papayas, mangoes, oranges, apples or any other fruits
  • Add vegetables to mashuni
    • Try adding pumpkin, brinjal, drumstick, snake gourd or any other vegetables to mashuni. Adding spinach or other local herbs such as kopeefai or kulhafilaafaiy also makes a healthier mashuni
  • Add vegetables to omelettes or scrambled eggs
    • Try adding chopped vegetables like peppers, onion, broccoli, spinach, mushrooms and/or tomatoes, green peas or any other vegetables
  • Add grated/sliced fruits into oat porridge
    • Try adding fresh bananas, papayas, mangoes, oranges, apples or any other fruits

Lunch/Dinner:

  • Add vegetables to curries
    • Try adding pumpkin, green beans, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, brinjal, drumsticks and other vegetables to curries
  • Serve legumes
    • These include mung deal, lentils, kidney beans, chick peas, black beans, black-eyed peas, and several varieties of beans
  • Serve vegetable rice instead of plain rice
    • Add vegetables once the rice is almost cooked or gently stir fry the veges in a tiny amount of cooking oil or olive oil before adding to cooked rice
  • Always serve a salad or vegetable side dish with every meal
    • Spinach, lettuce, koppeefai, kulhafilaafai, etc are good choices for a green leafy salad. Other vegetables such as cabbage, carrot, tomato, cucumber, pepper, etc are also good choices. Side dishes could be in the form of stir fried vegetables, dry curries, or steamed vegetables

Snacks:

  • Yoghurt
    • Plain/low fat yoghurt is the best choice and fresh fruits can then be added for a sweeter taste if preferred
  • Fresh fruits
    • Choose from a variety of fruits ranging from apples, mandarins, grapes, or local varieties such as papaya, banana, watermelon, mango, guava, stone apple, water apple, custard apple, pomegranate, kashikeyo.
    Yoghurt and fruits can be served together or separately. Also try frozen fruits such as bananas or frozen yoghurt blended with fruits for a healthy, ice-cream like dessert.
  • Vegetables
    • Pack vegetables such as baked potato or sweet potato wedges, steamed vegetables, fresh vegetable sticks to go with healthy dips or cherry tomatoes; baby carrots and chopped cucumber with hummus or other healthy dip
  • Healthy sandwiches
    • Pack extra nutrients into sandwiches by adding low fat cheese, spreading avocado in place of butter or margarine, adding a wide variety of vegetables such spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, grilled mushrooms, etc
  • Nuts and dried fruits
    • Nuts and dried fruits such as raisins and apricots are highly nutritious and provide a filling snack. Opt for unsalted nuts – peanuts, walnuts, cashew nuts, etc.
  • Cheese
    • Add tomato slices to cheese on plain crackers or serve cheese with raisins or nuts such as walnuts

Drinks

  • Water
    • Try to get your kids into the habit of drinking water first to quench their thirst and encourage them to drink at least 8 glasses of water everyday
  • Milk
    • Opt for plain/low fat milk as flavoured milk is high in sugar, added colour and preservatives
  • Fresh juices
    • Serve fresh fruit or vegetable juices with no added sugar. If choosing packet juices, opt for 100% juice without added sugar
  • Smoothies
    • Blend one or more fruits with low fat milk or plain yoghurt. Try adding fresh bananas, papayas, mangoes, pineapple, oranges, apples or any other fruits of choice

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