For Lunch with a Crunch ...

May 20, 2013 - PRLog -- It’s quite likely that parents care more about their child’s eating habits than about what their own diet, and this is very apparent in the morning challenge of creating a packed lunch.

The on-going issue is finding food that is tasty, nutritious and attractive to kids.  Packed lunches are all too often high in fat, salt and sugar and can be less healthy than school dinners, the Children's Food Trust warns, which is why the Chantenay Carrot Snack Pack is a perfect addition to any lunchbox.

A study carried out in 2010 by Leeds University found that just 1% of packed lunches meet basic dietary standards.

Researchers at the Children's Food Trust found that in 2012, 54% of English primary school pupils and 60% of secondary students took a packed lunch to school with them.

However, parents are not to be blamed. A report last year by the Children's Food Trust said: "The predominance of high fat, sugary and salty foods in convenience shops, on supermarket shelves and in fast-food outlets mean that making healthier choices requires a level of commitment and knowledge of nutrition that is beyond many."

Eating more fruit and vegetables is a great way to give anyone’s diet a health boost, and many retailers have responded to this by selling ready to eat fruit bags. However, despite the UK snack food market being worth over £2.4 billion, the problem remains that there is still very little choice for those wanting healthy options, and even smaller choice for those who prefer vegetables over fruit.

A co-operative of 10 growers based in Nottinghamshire have the solution in the form of their Chantenay Carrot Snack Packs. Chantenay Carrot Snack Packs are ready-sliced carrot snacks that have no mess or waste and are a great addition to a child’s, or adults, lunch box.  They are also perfect for pic-nics, snacking on the go and trips out.

The Chantenay Snack Packs come as single 80g pots with a tasty hummous dip for 85p or in a pack of four 65g snap pots for £1, those looking for great value for money, ideal for families, especially those who are time poor.

The snack packs are made up of carrots which have been neatly sliced lengthways in order to maintain the carrots natural shape. Chantenay Carrot Snack Packs stay fresh sweet and tasty, without the use of nasty chemicals such as chlorine.

The 80g pots count towards one of the five recommended daily portions of fruit and vegetables. However, the benefits of eating carrots at lunchtime are not limited to their great vitamin content, they can help reduce the absorption of sugars from the **blood, and they reduce the glucose and insulin peaks observed after snacks and meals.

Eating raw carrots help to fight off the mid afternoon slump and leave you feeling fuller for longer. Carrots are also great for dental health as they kill harmful germs in the mouth and prevent tooth decay, while providing some great exercise for the mouth and jaw.

All of these benefits combined are equal to one key lunch box ingredient, improving the basic dietary standards of lunchboxes one step at a time.  Chantenay Carrot Snack Packs are available in Morrisons now.

www.chantenay.co.uk

ENDS