As part of my Hassle Free Healthy Lunch Box Program™, I issue weekly Healthy Lunch Box Tips to schools for inclusion in their school newsletter.
Week 5’s Healthy Lunch Box Tip is Three Outstanding Orange Foods to include in the lunch boxes you pack. One of these Outstanding Orange foods is the Surprising Sweet Potato.
Are you saying WHAT right now?!!!!
I am serious though. Sweet potato is amazing and has incredible health benefits. They naturally contain many vitamins and minerals which help our bodies – here is just a few I’ve selected.
- vitamin C so are good for boosting immunity and helps with bone and teeth strength
- iron which helps with energy and cell production
- magnesium which aids with relaxation and stress resistance
- vitamin D which is also known as the happy vitamin. Sweet potatoes are one of the few foods sources which contain vitamin D (we mainly get this from sunlight). Vitamin D is particularly important for good mood and for those who are anxious, stressed or depressed.
Ok, so now you know the benefits, but are you still thinking she’s mad. How can I include this outstanding orange vegetable in the lunch box? Here goes some of my favourite ways:
- Cut it in chunks and bake/roast it with a little coconut oil and sea salt. It becomes so sweet and almost caramel like. If your family are not use to this, try it at home for dinner and do this several times before attempting to include in the lunch box.
- Sweet Potato Brownie – recipe by the awesome Sugar Free Mum.
- Sweet Potato Tuna Patties – these are awesome for dinner and lunch. Recipe by My lovely Little Lunch Box.
- Sweet Potato Hashbrowns – yummo! Recipe from Care2.
- Moroccan Sweet Potato Dip- great to have with crackers, vegetable crudettes or even as a spread on a wrap. Recipe from The Lunch Box Doctor.
So these are just a few ways you can include the outstanding super sweet and superbly nutritious orange Sweet Potato in your lunch box. Go on, give it a try and let your family reap the rewards.