how to pack a balanced lunchbox

The start of the school year heralds the start of regular lunchbox packing. To help you through the 200+ school lunchboxes ahead of you this year, Dr Kyla Smith Paediatric Dietitian, shares her top tips for packing with confidence.

The biggest thing to remember is that what you pack for your child is allowed to be different to what other parents pack. You know your child best, and you can confidently include what will work for them.

In this post, we’ll look at how you can reduce the overwhelm with a simple plan for a balanced lunchbox.

what does a “balanced lunchbox” mean?

First up, let’s ditch the idea of a ‘perfect lunchbox.’ You can pack a balanced lunchbox even if your child has very specific food preferences or food allergies.

Start by including something from each of the food groups (grains, protein, dairy, fruit and vegetables). Remember that some of these food groups might be in super small amounts depending on your child’s preferences (we often have a single carrot stick!), but covering the food groups also helps reduce decision fatigue.

Consider making small changes each day rather than thinking of a whole new combination of foods each time. Switching out one of two items between days ensures variety across the week and reduces the chance of your child getting bored with the same foods.

common lunchbox mistakes (and what to do instead)

There’s so much to juggle during the school term, so see if you can make your life a bit easier by not making these common mistakes.

judging the success of the lunchbox by how much is eaten

It’s normal for kids to sometimes eat lots of their lunchbox and sometimes eat just a small amount. This isn’t necessarily a reflection of what you’ve packed. Remember that there’s often limited eating time at school, and your child’s appetite will fluctuate from day to day. If there’s consistently a whole lunchbox coming home, then get curious; otherwise, trust that you’re doing a great job.

packing too many challenging foods

It’s tempting to send foods that you’d like your child to eat at school, even if they’re not confidently eating those at home yet. But this tends to backfire for most kids, making it hard for them to eat enough and feel full at school. Sure, pack a small challenge food if that works for your family, but keep most of the foods that your child can confidently eat.

changing all of the lunchbox foods every day

If you’re holding yourself to a high standard of thinking of brand new lunchbox combinations every day, it’s likely you’ll get tired of packing those things pretty quickly. Instead, keep a list of staples that work for your family and swap out a couple each day. By doing so, you can continue to offer a variety of foods over the week or the term without having to think of something new all the time.

lunchbox combinations

how to adapt lunchboxes for different kids

• When packing a lunchbox for younger children, consider chopping the food into bite size pieces to make it easier for little hands. Most children don’t have much time to eat at school, so this really helps them eat enough to feel full.
• As your children get older, consider giving them more autonomy with packing their lunchbox. Ticking off the main food groups is an easy way to give them some direction.
• If your child is a pretty selective eater, then keep the lunchbox as simple and familiar as possible. Reserve new or challenging foods for home when they have more capacity for trying something new.
• Take into consideration that food can change in consistency after being packed in a lunchbox (may become more dry or soggy), which can feel off-putting for kids who notice those changes. Pack wet items in the leakproof sections to minimise this.
• If you have a more adventurous eater, feel free to offer whatever combinations you have in the fridge. Leftovers do well for these sorts of kids, and you could add a cold serving of last night’s dinner or package it up in a flatbread.
• If your child is highly active or extra hungry at school, just add bigger portions. You can pack two sandwiches or fill the lunchbox compartments to the brim. There’s no “normal” amount for kids to eat at school, so just trust your child’s hunger.
• We all have days when there’s not enough time to pack a beautiful lunchbox. And that’s ok! Lean on your freezer stash, create a list of lunchbox staples to make quick decisions, and use whole pieces of fruit or veggies.

final reassurance for parents

The lunchboxes you pack are perfect for your child. Remember that not eating everything is very normal, and you can trust your child to eat as much as their body needs. And finally, it doesn’t have to be fancy to be balanced. Simple works!