It’s back to school season and parents everywhere are collectively breathing a sigh of relief with the return of routine and the realization that you’ve got to make lunch, every single day. We strive to find a balance between healthy snacks, fruits and vegetables and the ‘treats’ that make lunch time fun.
I’m going to admit it first; the kids have actually never tried kiwifruit before last month. They’ve never been on my radar of ‘things to buy for the kids to eat in their lunch’ because they’ve never been too enthusiastic about the exterior appearance. As part of our ‘try something new every single week’ we tried kiwifruit earlier this summer. Though it took some coaxing, like most fruits and vegetables, they loved it after they gave the fruit a fair shake.
Kiwifruit is Fun to Eat | Lunch is more fun when you get to scoop with a spoon, right? That’s what I’ve told the kids. For the lunch box, I slice the kiwifruit in half and put it inside a glass container, with a fun spoon alongside that they can use to scoop the delicious fruit out.
Tip: try the Zespri SunGold kiwifruit, it’s a sweeter variety that tastes like a cross between a mango and a strawberry and available in stores between May and October. The delicious yellow fruit was new to us, and took less coaxing to try than the traditional green version.
Kiwifruit has Loads of Vitamin C | Did you know that one kiwifruit has more vitamin C than an orange? In fact, one kiwifruit has the complete recommended amount of Vitamin C for the entire day. Vitamin C plays an important role in the functioning of the immune system – and we try to boost the amount the kids consume during fall and winter seasons.
Kiwifruit is Easy to Pack (and Hearty) | To pack kiwifruit in the lunchbox, I cut it in half and include a plastic spoon for easy scooping. We usually prep school lunches the night before, so I’ve been putting Kiwi inside of a glass container, where they can leave the peeling when they’re finished eating. The best part? It’s not like those berries I send to school that get smooshed in the container before lunch, and skipped over.
Kiwifruit is a Hidden Source of Fibre | There’s something I learned about the traditional green Zespri Kiwifruit. One kiwifruit containers 4 grams of fiber, which is as much fiber as a package of instant oatmeal, or 1 oz. of almonds, or even 1 cup of cooked Brussel sprouts – and when it comes to kiwifruit vs. Brussel sprouts, you can bet what the kids are going to choose.
How can you tell if a kiwifruit is ripe? Hold it in the palm of your hand and squeeze the kiwifruit, gently. You want it soft, but not too soft. When you bring the kiwifruit home, you can store it on the counter for between 3-7 days, or extend the life of the kiwifruit by placing it in the fridge, where they will keep for up to two weeks.
You can find Zespri SunGold kiwifruit at Costco, Safeway, Save on Foods and Sobeys. Check your local store and grab a handful for the lunchbox – these small and fun fruits to eat pack a big nutritional punch.
This post has been brought to you by Zespri Kiwifruit and Frugal Edmonton Mama – as always, all the opinions are my own.
