It’s important to take care with what we pack in our kids lunch box and to be sure that it’s filled with nutritious snacks and food to keep them recharged for the afternoon. Kids are usually so active at school, and their little bodies are growing at a rapid rate, making sure their lunchbox is full of nutritious foods can help them concentrate better in class and gives them more energy to get through the school day.

Packing school lunches can become tedious and it is sometimes a struggle, the one thing to remember is Kids love variety and don’t like to be bored. Below are some tips for packing a healthy lunchbox for the kids and a week of creative lunch ideas.

10 TIPS FOR A BALANCED HEALTHY LUNCHBOX

MAKE IT EASY – Make eating the food easy to eat, if they are little they need to be able to eat independently.

USE LEFT OVERS – Make a little extra for dinner, using the left overs for lunch, pasta and fried rice always are a good options.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES – Include a mix of fruits and vegetables in lunchboxes to boost nutrition to make sure the kids are getting their essential vitamins and minerals. Add in some vegetable sticks with dip (avocado or hummus) for an element of crunch.

GO FOR WATER – It’s so important to teach your kids to stay hydrated! We need around 8 glasses of fluid each day and water is the best choice. Packing a water bottle with their lunch is the best way for them to develop the habit of staying hydrated and helps remind them to drink regularly.

KEEP IT COOL – It’s important to pack foods and snacks that will stay fresh for the duration of a school day. Food spoilage can result in illness and can make your children hesitant to eat.
A great idea to keep the lunchbox cool is to freeze a MILO to Go and pop it in, to keep the food fresh all day and can also give your child a nutritional boost if they need it.

IS IT ALLERGY FRIENDLY? – Food based allergies including peanuts, dairy, gluten, egg etc can be life-threatening. Many school have food policies to reduce the risk of accidental exposure. We as parents play an important role by following these policies packing food products that are safe.

PREP AHEAD – Chop carrot sticks, or dice fruit while you are prepping dinner, this will save you time!

PLAN A BAKING SESSION – Add homemade baked muffins, biscuits, etc to lunchboxes for a treat. Homemade snacks can be a healthier alternative to the ones you find in store (and yummier too!). Freeze all baking if you have space and then place it into the kids’ school lunchboxes frozen.

PACK THE NIGHT BEFORE – If you find you’re rushed in the school mornings, consider packing the lunches the night before. This will give you enough time to make a balanced and healthy lunchbox. Get the kids to help you, if they do they will be more inclined to eat it all too!

HEALTHY BALANCE – School lunches should have a balance of all of the food groups. When packing lunch, use the guide below to help ensure your child is enjoying a healthy and balanced school lunch: