A healthy and balanced meal for everyday school and work life is a good foundation for performance and concentration.

Children generally burn more energy than adults, so five smaller meals spread over the day are often better than three large ones. The right snack can boost your performance – you are more active and alert. Adults can also prevent performance slumps during the working day by eating 3 – 5 smaller meals.

 

Energy-boosting meals

A balanced and varied diet not only keeps us active and tastes good, but also provides all the necessary nutrients that children and adults need. But what belongs in the lunchbox?

Use these 4 building blocks to make wholesome meals:

• Cereals and cereal products:
  • Provide energy for the muscles and help the brain to think and concentrate. Bread and rolls in particular are a practical and versatile basis for snacks. Dark breads and rolls, wholegrain breads/rolls and cereals are high in complex carbohydrates and fibre. They ensure that blood sugar rises slowly and evenly and they provide energy for several hours.
  • Seeds and nuts – such as sunflower seeds, linseed, sesame seeds – not only make bread or cereal tastier and juicier, they also strengthen the nerves and provide valuable fatty acids and minerals.
  • Different toppings enrich the snack with plenty of nutrients. Cheese, ham and spreads made with curd cheese, vegetables or pulses are ideal.
• Fruit and vegetables: make you feel fresh and alert and strengthen the immune system. A valuable addition to grain products are
  • Fresh or dried fruit to nibble on
  • Vegetables as a bread topping or to nibble on
  • Cress or chives on bread
• Milk and milk products: important for growth, strong muscles and strong bones. Whether in the form of
  • Milk, yoghurt or buttermilk in muesli, porridge or as school milk
  • Cheese slices or curd cheese spreads on bread
  • Or a yoghurt dip with vegetable sticks
• Water: the BASE before, during and after each meal. If you drink enough, you can think better and keep your metabolism going. Always have a drinking bottle with you or place a full carafe within easy reach and sight.
  • Tap water is the cheapest and healthiest thirst quencher.
  • Avoid sugary drinks as much as possible. They are bad for our health because, while they cause a rapid rise in blood sugar, they unfortunately also cause a rapid drop in blood sugar. The result: restlessness, lack of concentration and hunger or a renewed craving for sugar.

 

How much do you need?
To choose the right amount, it is best to use the size of your hand as a guide (children’s hands are much smaller than adult hands!). These suggested quantities can be used as a guide:

Cereals
1 – 2 slices of bread (palm-sized) or 2 handfuls of muesli/cereal flakes

Fruit and vegetables
1 handful of fruit and
1 – 2 handfuls of vegetables

Milk and dairy products
approx. 150 – 200 ml milk, buttermilk, yoghurt or
1 palm-sized portion of curd/cream cheese or
1 – 2 slices of cheese/ham or
1 handful cooked legumes or
1 egg

 

Do you have any other questions? Please write an e-mail to marketing@backaldrin.com.

Susanne Dirisamer, Nutrition scientist