As a busy businessman, husband, and soon-to-be father of two, former The Bachelor star Tim Robards has a schedule busier than most.
But despite this, he still makes sure he and his growing family are getting their fix of the good stuff when it comes to mealtime, especially his darling daughter Elle.
WATCH NOW: Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich reveal the gender of their second child. Article continues after video.
In an exclusive chat with New Idea, Tim reflected on his own lunchtime meals as a young boy which consisted of a “brown paper bag with a sandwich, some fruit and maybe a popper”, and how they differ from those that he packs for his daughter.
“Nowadays kids have bento boxes and salads and chopped veggies which is great, but on the flip side of that is sometimes there is a lot of packaged food, that comes in plastic wrappers that isn’t so healthy for us.”
“The one thing that hasn’t changed is the good old banana. That comes in its own compostable wrapping and is just a staple, and will remain a staple I think.”
Adding that Elle was a “really good eater,” the former chiropractor revealed that chopped veggies were a go-to lunchbox inclusion for his daughter, along with fruit, and a main meal that somehow incorporates leftovers from the previous night’s dinner.
“We want to make sure she is hitting as many food groups as she can. The one thing that I love about bento box food is that you’ve got all the compartments that can help you hit all the major food groups and give you a colourful meal,” he shares.
“Sometimes we might have a sushi snack, she [also] likes lamb chops because they are so easy to eat off the bone. She loves peanut butter and banana on toast or sandwiches. I grew up with that and I’ve put her onto it.”
As for how he plans meals for himself, his wife Anna, and their fast-growing girl, the 41-year-old reveals that meal prep was a huge help in ensuring they were all eating a balanced diet.
“We have 80% of our lunchbox already done by prepping three to four days ahead. [On the day] we just add our main meal, which is usually just leftovers.”
“I do a lot of slow cooking as well, using a slow cooker is the best. You develop a lot of flavour with minimal effort and the meats you cook in that are so good for going in a sandwich or wrap or salad the next day.”
There’s always fresh fruit and veggies in the Robards household as well, a shopping habit that Tim recommends other busy families adopt.
“If you don’t have healthy things in the fridge it’s so easy to go to prepackaged things. We just go every couple of days to avoid wastage. We usually chop it up all at once and put it into a container so it’s easy just to pull out of the fridge when you want it,” he shares.
“It’s just one less barrier to eating healthy.”
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