Call it what you want – ‘packed lunch’, ‘lunchbox’, ‘school lunch’ as the new school year begins, parents across the land groan at the thought of making them every day!

Not only do we have to contend with the changing tastes and whims of our offspring but these days there is even more pressure to make sure that a lunchbox provides the right nutritional balance. 

Obesity, hyperactivity, nutrient deficiencies and other diet related conditions are all on the increase as we have been lured towards easy processed food options that our children seem to love.  You might also have to contend with new ‘lunchbox rules’ introduced by health conscious school governing bodies.

So here is my start of term guide to packing a lunch that your children will love and so will your nutritionist!

No one wants a squashed lunch….

Let’s start with the basics – what is this gastronomic delight going to be carried in?  Now back in my day it was all about the plastic lunchbox with a character decorating the front, and whilst these are still available, the manufacturers have cottoned on to the need for more purpose designed options.  Here are some of my current favourites:

Sistema To Go Bento Box – https://amzn.to/4cKp9XW

Stainless steel lunch box – https://amzn.to/3XuuM8l 

Original Yum Box – https://amzn.to/3Z8fmb2

Sandwich Yum Box – https://amzn.to/3X8Q35R 

The yum boxes are prices but they are completely leak proof and I’ve had my two for at least 5 years!

Sistema are a good options if you’re happy with plastic as they are BPA free.  They even sell little dressing/sauce pots which are perfect for allowing kids to ‘build’ their own lunch. Take a look you’ll find something that will work for you. Don’t forget whilst the weather is still warm in September you might want to add an ice pack to keep things chilled. Equally you could go for a food thermos which will keep soups and other warm meals toasty warm until lunch.

Getting the balance right…

A balanced lunchbox (including a snack for break time) should contain protein (and that doesn’t just mean meat!), healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, fibre and vitamins and not forgetting some water. 

The main event – something starchy with protein for energy and growth 

5-a-day – fruits, veg & salad packed full of essential vitamins, minerals and fibre for a happy tummy

Snacks – balanced and healthy for a mid-morning energy/concentration boost – try to combine carbs with some protein and/or fats.

Drinks – to maintain concentration and help get rid of toxins through sweat, urine and poo!

Lunchspiration…

To set you on your way here’s a full week of lunchbox ideas.  Remember to adjust portion sizes depending on your child’s age, and obviously substitute any ingredients that your child is intolerant/allergic to.  And don’t write something off because you think your child won’t like it – many children are put off by colour/texture/look of something – so if it looks interesting you may well sneak it past them! 

And remember tastes change so keep trying new things.  There’s also nothing wrong with a sandwich but it’s good to keep up variety.

Monday Water Oatcakes, cherry tomatoes, peppers and hummus Plain natural yoghurt with frozen berries Homemade muffin Snack – Apple & cheese cubes	Tuesday Water Build your own chicken, guacamole, pepper & cucumber wrap Homemade carrot cake  Sliced apple Snack – edamame beans in pods
Wednesday Water Pasta salad (wholemeal and tricolor pasta) with a cream cheese, sweetcorn and tuna Plain yoghurt with granola sprinkles Fruit salad Snack – plain popcorn dusted with cinnamon	Thursday Water Toasted pitta triangles with carrots and hummus Cheese cubes and cherry tomatoes Banana Snack – hard boiled egg and cucumber
Friday Mini Pitta pizzas (with veggie topping) Mini salad with chopped apples and a dressing on the side Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries Snack – homemade flapjack with hidden seeds

Hydration & fruit juice…

So I think we’re all aware of how important it is to keep our bodies hydrated and the same goes for children.  Unfortunately there is a lot of emphasis on flavoured drinks when it comes to children and the marketing man has led us up the garden path by implying that these conveniently packaged fruit juices (insert a brand of your choice) are beneficial to health because they contain ‘real fruit’. 

Now I’m not going to get into the nitty gritty about all of this but safe to say water is by far the best option for hydration.  Even fresh juices should not be consumed regularly in large amounts (it’s still sugar even though it’s from a fruit!). But if you are struggling to get your kiddies to sip on water you could always try adding slices of orange, lemon, lime, cucumber or mint to the bottle or even mixing some fresh juice with water and gradually reducing the strength over the weeks.

You can also try sparkling water occasionally for some extra interest (but don’t make it the standard). And I would advise avoiding artificial sweeteners like the plague both for adults and children – read the labels and you’ll see how often they are used in the ‘healthy’ options.

Other tips…

• Make lunchboxes at the same time you’re making dinner – without fail!
• Print of a menu for each day to put in the lunchbox
• Keep a record of each week’s lunches so that you have something to go back to when inspiration is lacking!
• Sit down at the weekend with your kids and let them help design some lunches – keeping them involved makes them more likely to eat what you give them and fosters a healthy interest in good food.
• Get your kids to rate the food in the lunchbox (if you really enjoy being critiqued in the worst way!)
• Make it interesting – maintain variation across the week, cut food into shapes using cutters, chop up fruit for a fruit salad, move away from thinking about lunch as simply being a sandwich!
• Store home-made cakes and muffins in individual portions in the freezer, then you can simply take out what you need each day.
• Think of snacks as ‘mini-meals’ this helps to keep you away from the processed options.

So I hope this has given you some ideas as to what to do for the coming year and if you want to download this and get some more inspiration click here to download my FREE guide to kids lunchboxes!

Nicola ☺

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