Most of us remember lunch time at school. Whether you had a cafeteria meal or a packed lunch from home, school lunches may not have always been the healthiest meals. Amidst the excitement and games during lunch break with your friends, the food and drink often ended up leaving stains on school uniforms!
Nowadays, there has been a big emphasis on educating children on food and nutrition. Many lunch options have come a long way to reflect the latest nutrition science; ensuring children get enough calories, nutrients and protein to see them through the day.1 Yet, the clothes stains remain!
No matter how old your child is, it’s likely they are going to make a mess at meal times and lunchtime at school is no exception. Thanks to the wide range of Vanish products, you don’t have to worry about food stains on school uniforms anymore.
We’ll explore the healthiest foods to pack for snacks for your children and offer tips on how to avoid the most common food stains.
A Look Inside The lunchbox
When packing lunch for your child you need to ensure that they have enough to keep their energy levels up during the day. A nutritious sandwich and snack can work wonders to maintain concentration levels and give children that much needed energy boost. Here are some suggestions of nutritious lunches and snacks to put into your child’s lunchbox.
- Sandwiches, wraps & pita
Try to pack a sandwich, wrap or pita full of salad for your child’s lunch. The carbohydrates will help to keep your child full for longer in addition to getting all the healthy nutrients from the salad. Add a light sauce or dressing to ensure they eat every last bite of it!
- Fruit and veg
For one of the all-important five-a-day, pack whole fruits such as apples, pears and bananas, or opt for a portion of carrot sticks or a handful of cherry tomatoes, grapes or berries. Small packets of raisins and other dried fruits are also great, simple options.
Packed with protein and nutrients including calcium, vitamin B-2, vitamin B-12, potassium and magnesium, yoghurt is perfect for break-time snacking2.
Calcium is an important component for healthy bone growth and development. As milk is rich in calcium, it is an easy way to ensure your child is getting enough calcium in their diet. In order to avoid milk spoiling, add an icepack to your child’s lunchbox and pack the milk next to it.
Preventing Lunch Time Stains
Schools are bustling when lunch time comes around. Children scurry around eating, playing and talking with their friends. Here we have some precautionary tips on how to prevent stains from happening during lunch time when you’re not there to clean it up:
- Pack items carefully
Anything that contains liquids should be packed separately inside a food bag. In case a lunchbox is dropped or a drink or yoghurt bursts, food bags will prevent any mess from spreading.
- Include tissues
Kitchen towels are an essential item to place in lunchboxes, along with a few wet wipes. Whether they spill their milk, drop yoghurt onto their shirt or something explodes in their lunchbox, packing the right cleanup equipment will enable your child to deal with potential stains then and there.
- Cover up
While it might not be the trendiest option, if your child is a particularly messy eater consider packing an apron or item of protective clothing in their school bag for them to wear during break and lunch time.
Treating Lunch Time Stains
While you’ve taken steps to prevent food stains, sometimes the inevitable will happen. Here are some of our top stain removal tips to tackle those lunchtime mishaps:
- Fruit and vegetables
Run warm water over the back of the stain to remove solids trapped in the fabric. To remove your stain in as little as 30 seconds, mix 1/4 scoop of Vanish Gold Oxi Action Stain Remover Powder with 3/4 scoop of warm water and stir to make a paste. Rub in the mixture to the front and back of your stain. Wash as normal with an additional scoop of powder for perfect results.
For tough protein stains Vanish Pre-Treat Gold Stain Remover PowerGel works wonders. Squeeze the fast acting formula directly onto your stain, using the specially designed head of the product to gently rub the formula in and leave for five minutes before washing as normal.
- Oil and grease stains
To remove stubborn food stains caused by grease and oil in just 30 seconds, combine four litres of warm water with 60ml of Vanish Gold Oxi Action Stain Remover Gel. Soak the garment for one hour before washing with your usual detergent and an extra 60ml of Vanish.
It’s important to pack a healthy lunch for your child. It will keep them full of energy throughout the day so they can concentrate in class. These tips for preventing food stains will help to minimise stains, but rest assured that when the inevitable happens, Vanish will be on hand to help.