Preparing baon takes effort, but it is a sacrifice that is worth it considering the dangers of unhealthy food choices on schoolchildren.
The 8th National Nutrition Survey of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) revealed that 9 percent of pre-school children aged 5-10 are overweight or obese. Among adolescents and teens 10-19 years old, the number is higher at 13 percent. Overweight and obese children are more likely to stay obese into their adulthood and have a higher risk of developing diseases associated with obesity like Type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, various forms of cancer and other disorders at a younger age.
It is for this reason that global brand Lock&Lock, a leader in food container technology, declared June 2016 as “National Pa-Baon Month.”
This is an advocacy that is both timely and relevant as students begin the new school year. Bringing baon is a tradition that is not commonly practiced anymore due to the fast-paced lifestyle we live in. It is more convenient for parents to give children money to buy food in school. Preparing your child’s baon assures you that he gets to eat quality and nutritious food. You may find this problematic, but there are ways to go around it by following these simple steps:
PLAN: Plan your child’s baon in advance and prepare it during the weekend or the night before school. In the morning, you can simply re-heat the food before placing it in safe food containers.
BE DIVERSE: Offer different viands (ulam) or food preparations like a healthy and filling sandwich so he will not get tired of eating his baon.
MAKE IT EASY BUT INTERESTING: Choose a baon that you can easily prepare but make it interesting. One way to do this is by making it look good. Try doing it the Japanese bento way. It makes preparing baon fun for you and your child. There are many online sites that teach this.
STAY AWAY FROM UNHEALTHY CHOICES: The reason why you are preparing baon is to prevent your child from eating unhealthy food so stay away from the temptation of giving him high sugar and fat-laden food that may be easy to prepare but is harmful in the long run.
KEEP IT SAFE: After all the trouble in preparing a delicious and healthy baon, make sure you place it in a safe and hygienic food container. Lock&Lock helps address this concern. The company already introduced trendy Lunch Bags containing Lock&Lock food containers with the revolutionary 4-locking mechanism and resilient silicon seal. You can be sure that your child’s baon is kept fresh and safe longer without having to worry about any spillage. It is microwave, dishwasher and freezer safe too.
Preparing your child’s baon is more important now that we are facing a health issue that threatens them even at an early age.
Make Lock&Lock’s “National Pa-Baon Month” your advocacy as well.
Visit Lock and Lock-Philippines on Facebook and LockandLockPH on Instagram for tips on how to prepare healthy baon choices as well as updates on the National Pa-Baon Month.
