Lunchbox tips
Here are 5 tips to think about when packing your child’s lunchbox:
1. Include a variety of everyday foods from the 5 food groups
Breads and cereals
- Use different types of bread for sandwiches or wraps – wholemeal, multigrain, high fibre white, rye, focaccia or pita bread
- Try pasta, rice, couscous, noodles or quinoa in a salad
Vegetables
- Pack easy to eat vegetable sticks – carrot, capsicum, celery, cherry tomatoes or snow peas
- Include plenty of vegetable in sandwiches or wraps – lettuce, sprouts, grated carrot, cucumber or beetroot
Fruit
- Try any fresh fruit in season – peel or cut up for easy eating
- Tinned fruit (in natural juice) or stewed fruit can add some variety
Dairy foods and alternatives
- Include reduced fat yoghurt or custard
- Try wholemeal or multigrain crackers with cheese
Meat and meat alternatives
- Try lean ham, tinned tuna, boiled egg or peanut butter* in sandwiches or wraps
- Use left-over roast meat like chicken, beef, pork or lamb in sandwiches or salads.
2. Limit 'sometimes' foods
- 'Sometimes' foods such as chocolate, lollies, muesli bars, chips or sweet biscuits are best kept for special occasions at home.
- These foods are high in fat, sugar and/or salt and do not offer children any goodness.
- Try some of the following 'everyday' foods in your child’s lunchbox instead:
- Pikelets or scones
- Fruit bun or fruit bread
- Plain air-popped popcorn
- Trail mix made with plain popcorn, dried fruit and breakfast cereal
- Home-made vegetable or fruit muffins. Go to this link for recipe ideas.
3. Don’t forget the water bottle
- Water is the best drink to beat thirst.
4. Include enough food for the day
- Use your child’s appetite as a guide.
- Pack something for recess and lunchtime and include a variety of foods from the
5 food groups.
5. Keep food safe!
- Send your child’s food in an insulated lunchbox or bag.
- Add an ice brick or frozen water bottle to keep lunches cold.
- Store lunches out of the sun and well away from heaters.
- After school throw away uneaten food unless sealed in a packet. Clean lunchboxes and drink bottles with hot soapy water and allow to dry.
Try some of the following ideas:
- Lean roast beef, grainy mustard and lettuce on rye bread
- Mini-pizza - English muffin topped with vegetables, lean ham and cheese
- Pasta salad with roast chicken, 3-bean mix and vegetables
- Small tin of baked beans and a bread roll
- Mashed egg and reduced-fat mayonnaise with cucumber on multigrain bread
- Grated carrot, sultanas and peanut butter* on high fibre white bread
- Vegemite™, cheese and chopped celery on a roll
- Tuna, corn and reduced-fat mayonnaise with sprouts wrapped in mountain bread
- Lean ham, cheese and coleslaw in a wholemeal bread roll
* Check your schools policy on nuts