When packing a healthy lunchbox for your child, we recommend thinking of a lunchbox in terms of the five food groups and making sure each group is represented. This will provide them with a nutritious supply of food to grow healthy and strong and provide them with the energy they need to get through their active days.
Using the 5 food groups, follow the CORE 4 guidelines to help make packing a healthy lunchbox easy.
- Main lunch item – a sandwich, roll, wrap
or salad based on grains such as pasta, rice or quinoa. - Nutritious snack – choose a snack from the five food groups such as crackers with cheese, veggie sticks and hummus, or yoghurt.
- Piece of fresh fruit – whatever is in season.
- Drink – always include a water bottle. Add an additional small reduced fat milk drink (less than 300ml) or a 99% fruit juice drink (less than 200ml) once or twice a week.
PLUS 1 additional snack for active and fast-growing kids. This will provide the extra nutrients some kids need.
Lunchbox ideas:
Rainbow chips: cut into chips or wedges — parsnips, potatoes, carrots, sweet potato, beetroot and zucchini. Drizzle with olive oil and a little garlic powder before cooking. Tip: to make homemade chips crunchy, rinse off excess starch and dry with kitchen paper or a clean tea towel.
Dippy sticks: carrot, zucchini, capsicum, cucumber, baby corn or celery sticks (crunchy vegetables can be softened by steaming for very young children).
Ants on a log: fill celery sticks with low fat cream cheese or hummus and place sultanas across the top.
Veggie jaffle: fillings can include spinach and feta; baked beans; mashed potato and cheese; pumpkin and ricotta.
Banana bubbles: skewer a banana piece onto a paddle pop stick. Coat with low fat yoghurt, roll in puffed rice and serve frozen.
Fruit smoothies: simply blend yoghurt, milk and fruit such as bananas and berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries).
Traffic lights: rounds of kiwifruit, watermelon and banana.
Air popped popcorn: serve in patty cases or paper bags.
Garlic toast fingers: mix olive oil, minced garlic and chopped parsley. Brush onto wholemeal bread, cut into three fingers and lightly bake.
Pita bread nachos: pita bread slices baked in the oven until crisp and then sprinkled with cheese and Italian herbs.
Raisin toast fingers: cut into three fingers and use a thin spread of spread.
Yoghurt: sprinkled with muesli and fresh or tinned fruit.
More Stories
How To eFT Tapping your way to peace, happiness, and health
How to Make Protein Powder at Home?
How To Invest In Real Estate In 2024