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What should I put in my child’s school lunchbox?

Deirdre Doyle

Are you always wondering what you should actually put in your child’s lunchbox now that it’s time for back to school?

Well don’t worry! I have you covered with guidance on exactly what you should put into your child’s school lunchbox. You want to make that school lunchbox as balanced a meal as you can. You also want to make sure that your child will get enough energy throughout the day from the food you provide to keep them running around the yard, doing their maths and playing with their friends!

What should go in my child’s school lunch?

  • Carbohydrate

  • Protein

  • Vegetable

  • Fruit

  • Hydration

Why do I need carbohydrates in my child’s lunchbox?

Carbohydrates should make up a substantial part of your child’s lunchbox. Children need carbs for energy. Try and make the carb count by making it wholemeal rather than a refined carb (white bread, crackers etc.). Refined carbs will leave them in a post-sugar slump an hour after lunch and hungrier than before!

If your child is anti-wholemeal bread try this little trick:

Make your sandwich with one slice wholemeal and one slice white until they accept the taste of wholemeal. Start using wholemeal at home for making breadcrumbs etc. Do blind tasting with wholemeal and white toast

Try any or all of the following in your child’s lunchbox

  • wraps

  • soda bread,

  • sliced bread

  • sourdough bread

  • crackers

  • rolls

  • pita

Carbohydrate doesn’t have to be bread - if your child won’t eat a sandwich, they might eat cous cous or wholemeal pasta (hot or cold), wholemeal rice salad or pancakes, a healthy muffin.

Why do I need protein in my child’s lunchbox?

Protein is vital in your child’s school lunch. Kids need protein for muscle growth and repair. And equally as important with our children. protein helps to keep them fuller for longer and saves some of the hanger!

Vary your protein sources in the lunchbox - here are some ideas.

  • ham and other processed meats (occasionally),

  • free-range chicken (roasted, boiled or fried),

  • fish like tuna, tinned salmon, fresh or smoked salmon,

  • cheese (cheddar, cream cheese, feta)

  • high protein yoghurt like Greek yoghurt

  • legumes like chickpeas, butter beans,

  • eggs (hard boiled, quiche and more)

Should I include fruit and vegetables in my child’s lunchbox?

If you want your child to eat fruit and veggies, then it’s important to offer them to your child as often as possible. The school lunchbox is no exception to this rule. This strategy of constantly exposing your child to the foods you want them to eat is part of the Division of Responsibility in Feeding strategy. Read more here.

Include different fruits and veg in the lunch box every day but no nasty surprises! Lunch boxes are not really the place to be trying out new, unfamiliar foods.

Prepping fruits and veggies for the lunchboxes is the perfect tasks for children to be involved in.

Suitable raw veggies for lunchboxes include:

  • cherry tomatoes

  • cucumber (sliced, cubed, batons)

  • sugar snap peas

  • sweetcorn

  • carrot (sliced, batons, grated)

  • celery sticks

  • asparagus spears (lightly steamed)

  • green beans (lightly steamed)

  • sliced peppers

  • radishes

  • broccoli florets

Suitable fruits for lunchboxes include:

Research shows that chopping up fruit before serving means that more of it will be eaten! So make the fruit you add to the school lunchbox easy to eat by chopping it up (another task for the kids to do themselves!).

We tend to leave the bananas for home - way too messy for the lunchboxes and school bags!

  • mandarin or tangerine (peeled if necessary),

  • orange quarters

  • grapes - halved if required

  • pear

  • apple - see top tip for keeping apples from browning here!

  • berries - strawberries, blueberries, raspberries

  • melon - sliced or cubed

  • kiwi - halved and include a spoon for scooping it out

  • pineapple - cubed

  • peaches and nectarines

Some other school lunch blogs you might find useful: