 GETTING your child to eat a healthier diet is at the top of every parent's wish list. But sometimes, all you have the time and energy for is a speedy food fix, minus the nutritional research. Luckily, a new campaign by the Liverpool Primary Care Trust, is set to make things easier for busy mums and dads by recommending healthy lunches that kids will look forward to all morning. The pack will be bursting with practical ideas to get you started. The Pack It In campaign begins in April and includes practical sessions at city primary schools to help kids and parents pack healthy packed lunches. The campaign is part of Taste for Health which launched last Monday and is a major programme to improve diet in the population as well as reducing diet related illness and disease. According to the experts, the ideal meal should contain one or more portions of fresh or dried fruit, a bowl of veg or salad, protein rich foods such as fish, meat or egg, carbohydrates like bread pasta or rice, and a calcium packed snack like semi skimmed milk low fat cheese or low fat yoghurt. Now, before you start saying that it takes too much effort, let me tell you a secret - all this is simple if you plan ahead and think about healthy eating. Here's how: 1. Get your child excited about the idea of bringing lunch from home by using them an ultra funky box or one that they can decorate themselves with stickers, glitter and drawings. 2. Let children select and pack the foods that they like to eat. Make a mix and match menu they can choose from and encourage them to help with the shopping and packing. 3. Make sandwiches look exotic by using interesting breads such as granary, or wholemeal rolls or pittas and fill with crazy (but edible) combinations (we don't want sardine and chocolate spread!) 4. Other great ideas include yoghurt dips or hummus and celery sticks - or using the previous night's left-overs to make a pasta or salad dish. 5. Make fruit easy to eat by chopping de-piping and segmenting them. Never underestimate how lazy kids can be! 6. If you struggle with buying fresh fruit and vegetables on a regular basis, why not freeze bananas and berries, add to fruit juice or yoghurt to create the most delicious iced smoothies. 7. Replace cakes or chocolate for yoghurts, home made oatmeal cookies or fruit muffins. 8. Add a surprise. My mum used to add a new Mr Men book, sticker pack or treat token in the bottom of my lunch box every week - but wouldn't tell me which day to expect it. This made lunch times an exciting lottery affair. 9. And don't forget to cater for after-school munchies with a banana, apple or an extra bottle of water in a separate pack. 10. Visit www.tasteforhealth.com or www.foodinschools.org for excellent advice on setting up a school food policy as well as a toolkit including cookery clubs, free booklets and advice on healthier lunchboxes. For more information on health & fitness log on to www.liverpoolactivecity.co.uk | 
