Lunch Box Ideas for Primary School Students
Mornings are such a busy time with alarms ringing, fights over the bathroom, breakfast to gobble down and school lunches to pack. Packing lunches can be a dreaded task as it is often difficult to interest children in eating when they are so eager to play.
It is understandable when a child opens their lunchbox each day to find the same two pieces of boring bread with the same two boring biscuits and the sour, out-of-season apple, that they will only take a few bites and throw the rest in the bin. One solution to this is to incorporate a variety of fresh foods and to invite your child to be part of the process of deciding what to have and to help make it. This way they may are far more likely to eat it.
Each part of a packed lunch can be varied. For example, bread is a good basis for lunch as it is a great source of energy, B vitamins and fibre. Why not try different varieties of bread such as wholemeal, multigrain, rolls, knots, torpedoes, seeded bread, rye, pita pockets, Lebanese bread, foccacia or lavash breads.
Get your child to experiment with different sandwich fillings for afternoon tea one day and get them to vote on the winners for the week.
Some combinations you may like to try:
1. Chicken and avocado,
2. Drained pineapple and ham,
3. Turkey and cranberry sauce,
4. Silverside and mustard,
5. Shredded cheese and vegemite,
6. Chicken, hard boiled egg and mayonnaise,
7. Baked beans and grated cheese, or
8. Grated carrot, sultanas and mayonnaise.
** NB Cheese and mayonnaise should be reduced fat varieties.
Try varying all parts of the lunch box each week. Vary the types of fruit and snacks in the lunchbox and your child will be more likely to eat it.