NEW WELLNESS WORKSHOPS!
It can be challenging to create a nutritious packed meal, have easy food items that are appealing to eat, and store them well in a lunch box.
When working in the farming industry, you must perform at your best and eat like an athlete.
Good nutrition is essential to performing at your best and enjoying a long career. Eating well can help you build muscle mass, strength, and stamina. It can also give you sustained energy and concentration to perform, reduce the risk of fatigue and getting sick, and help improve your mood.
Fuel your body with nourishing foods and drinks to keep you on your A-game daily. Focus on the positive and healthy foods you eat can reduce the less nourishing ones. You are giving yourself more energy to perform better.
If we skip breakfast and get a pie and an energy drink, we will not have the right fuel in our bodies to do the work we need to do throughout the day.
We need a variety of foods to get the nutrients we need.
- Whole grains and cereals.
- Lean meats, chicken, and fish
- Eggs and legumes
- Dairy products – milk, cheese, and yogurt
- Healthy fats
Eating well doesn’t need to be complicated. It’s straightforward. Our bodies need consistent fuel over the entire day.
Carbs are a nutrient that fuels our muscles and brains. We need good-quality carbs whether we are in the shed or on the sports field.
Plant foods, such as fruit, vegetables, bread, cereal, and legumes, break down to glucose, which fuels our muscles.
There are healthy and unhealthy carbohydrates. We must focus on healthy carbs to give us fuel to perform at high levels.
- Whole grain bread
- Weetbix, porridge
- Potatoes, Kumara
- Pasta and rice
Protein helps us feel fuller for longer, giving us a sustained energy source throughout the day. Instead of eating protein at dinner, try eating throughout the day.
Protein is found in:
- Meat
- Fish
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Dairy products
But also found in legumes
- Chilly beans
- Hummus
- Baked beans
Combine protein with a carbohydrate for better results.
Fat is a nutrient that helps our energy levels and keeps our brains healthy in small amounts.
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Avocado
- Tinned fish
- Olives
Hydration is essential for functioning at our best and staying hydrated throughout the day. Drink water regularly to avoid dehydration. Water and Healthy foods will help you stay hydrated.
There are many benefits of drinking water and keeping hydrated.
- Increases energy & relieves fatigue.
- Maintains regularity.
- Boosts the immune system.
- Natural headache remedy
- Prevents cramps & sprains.
Healthy Eating Tips for the Farmer Lunch Box
- Choose healthy fats instead of saturated and trans fats.
- Limit salt and added sugar
- Limit high kilojoules/calorie food and drink.
- Eat well – have a healthy breakfast, don’t skip meals & snack on healthy snacks.
- Switch to eating mainly low-GI carbohydrates (oats, barley or bran-based cereals, grainy loaves of bread, fruit and vegetables, and carbohydrate-containing foods), as they provide a more sustained energy source.
- Prepare and store food safely.
A farmer’s lunchbox that provides a range of foods from various food groups is a crucial ingredient to fuelling a successful day’s work. A healthy lunchbox will promote health and well-being.
Fast facts:
- Healthy eating is essential for health and well-being.
- At times during the farming year, farmers and workers may require a packed lunch due to long hours of work.
- Increase your knowledge of the five core food groups and recommended servings to help you include healthier choices in lunch boxes.
- Use the Health Star Rating system to assist with buying healthy packaged foods for the lunch boxes.
- Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
- Care, prepare and store food safely.