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Rachael Gavin
With kids heading back to school it’s time to start thinking about lunchboxes.
What foods to include? Will they actually get eaten? And will they sufficiently keep children alert and energetic throughout the school day?
Then there’s actually packing them, which can be yet another task on already busy mornings.
We asked three experts for the tips and tricks they’ve learned packing lunchboxes for their own children.
Luka McCabe, Boob to Food founder and cookbook author
Packing lunchboxes for her pre-school and primary school-aged kids, mum-of-three Luka McCabe is practising what she preaches.
The founder of online community Boob to Food, McCabe provides nutrition guidance and inspiration for parents, focusing on foods that give her children energy to stay focused during the school day (and foods they’ll actually eat “often one-handed while playing handball!”).
“A typical lunchbox includes a main meal, some fruit or vegetables, and one or two nourishing snacks,” she explains. “The main is usually something like homemade scrolls or sushi, a sandwich, or leftovers like pasta or fried rice in a thermos. I’ll usually add one baked good such as a muffin, muesli bar or biscuit, plus things like boiled eggs, yoghurt, cheese, hummus with veggie sticks, jerky and plenty of fruit.”
McCabe doesn’t place too much pressure on herself to make the healthiest and prettiest lunchbox possible.
“Just because something is nutritionally great doesn’t mean it belongs in a lunchbox if it’s never eaten – especially when mornings are already busy getting three kids out the door.”
For McCabe, lunchbox packing begins on the weekend with “batch-style preparation” to make the process more efficient on weekdays.
“I do as much prep as possible ahead of time. I usually do what I call ‘two hours of power’ on a Sunday, where I prepare snacks and some main items, freeze some and keep others ready to go. I find that if snacks are sorted, mornings run a lot more smoothly,” she says.
Dr Michela Sorenson, GP
With her eldest about to start primary school, general practitioner Dr Michela Sorenson is sticking with tried and tested lunchbox combinations that she knows her kids (aged five and three) love.
“Yoghurt is a must – I get in trouble if we run out,” she says. “They also have some fruit – strawberries and apples are the go to, plus carrot and cucumber sticks. Then it’s either cheese and crackers or a wrap. They usually have a ‘treat’ component which is either fruit crisps, some popcorn or mini rice crackers.
“This gives them a good balance of calcium, fruit and veg, as well as a (somewhat) healthy ‘treat’.”
To pack lunchboxes she gets up 10 minutes earlier but plans what she’ll pack on Sundays to make things quicker.
“My poor kids get similar foods for the whole week – so by Wednesday it’s usually an efficient production line,” she says.
Jaime Rose Chambers, clinical dietitian
You only have to glance at Chambers’ Instagram account Lunchbox of the Day to know she packs a delicious and nutritious lunchbox.
But the mum of two sons, aged eight and six, wants parents to take the pressure off themselves.
“Don’t overcomplicate it or make it too fancy,” she says. “Nutritious and enjoyable are the most important – it’s only one meal of the day. If they miss out on some foods, they can be eaten another time of the day.”
Chambers uses a “bento-style lunchbox”. Bento is a Japanese-packed meal that focuses on a ratio of carbohydrates, protein, vegetables and a small sweet to balance flavours.
“It helps me to stick to a template: I always pack a wholegrain sandwich, wrap, roll or cracker, some chopped fruit and veggies, a source of protein – usually yoghurt, cheese or leftover meat or chicken from dinner and a fun food like a fruit strap or homemade treat,” she says.
Carbohydrates are an important part of the lunchboxes, says Chambers.
“As my boys are growing and are so active, I find they’re too hungry after school if I don’t include a significant source of quality carbohydrate to fuel them up.”
Over the years Chambers has worked out which foods last the day in top condition and which ones don’t.
She’s stopped including chopped kiwifruit and strawberries because they “go slimy” and instead packs a kiwifruit cut only in half and whole berries.
When it comes to packing she does it in the morning to prevent food going soggy and makes one for herself so she’s also got a nice lunch for the workday.
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