Healthy lunchboxes tick all the boxes

Here are some handy tips on how to pack a nutritious lunchbox.

Healthy lunchboxes are a really important part of the school day, with healthy snacks being front row and centre to enabling our kids to learn better, concentrate for longer and enjoy playtime with their friends.

Murrumbidgee Local Health District's Health Promotion Officer, Megan Mattingly reminds us that when good eating habits are established early, it sets up better learning opportunities, not only while at school, but for later in life.

“Young children love to learn about healthy choices and to be involved in selecting and packing healthy options in their lunchbox, which also increases the likelihood that they will actually eat the food they are packing with their parent or carer,” Megan said.

“It also means that kids have the long-lasting energy to participate in physical activity, the ability to focus and concentrate better, and play with their friends, leading to better learning outcomes.”

“Healthy lunch boxes do not have to be expensive or difficult and include items from the five food groups, while limiting more processed items that are high in added sugar and salt."

Here are some helpful tips to consider when packing a nutritious lunchbox:

A water bottle, piece of fruit or serve of vegetables for Crunch&Sip®:
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• In season and fresh is cheapest. Some summer fruits are strawberries, melon, peach, nectarine and grapes. Small tins of fruit are also good: those with no added sugar in the syrup.
• Raw vegies such as carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and capsicum, cob of corn or salad cup.

For a recess snack, have a cereal/grain food with fruit or vegetable like:

• vegetable sticks or piece of fruit, rice crackers with hummus dip
• savoury pikelets, rice cakes or plain popcorn
• broccoli florets, water crackers and salsa dip
• a slice of fruit loaf and ½ cup 4-bean mix

A healthy selection of options for lunch include:

• boiled eggs, beans or lean meat such as beef or chicken, tuna or salmon with a salad sandwich, roll or with cooked rice or pasta
• a piece of fruit or vegetable
• a serve of reduced fat dairy such as cheese, yoghurt, custard or milk.

Pack a water bottle:

• Pack a water bottle or two and refill at school bubblers or water fountains regularly (which will close only if there is COVID-19 transmission in the community).
• Water will quench thirst better than anything else, hydrate children all day and is best for healthy teeth.
• If flavouring water, try some citrus slices or mint. Don’t pack soft drinks, cordial or fruit drinks.

Use an ice pack or frozen bottle of water:

• to keep lunches cooler during hot weather.
• to make sure the food is kept cool in the lunchbox. It is important to stop food from spoiling, which could make a child unwell, and it will be more appetizing too.

We encourage parents and carers to keep occasional foods such as biscuits, cakes, sweets, chips for other occasions rather than school lunches as they really have limited nutritional value.

• For more healthy lunchbox ideas visit the Healthy Living website.  
• Watch our video of Megan speaking about health lunchboxes.