28 Jan Back to school lunchbox tips
If you’re lost for ideas or need some assistance with lunchbox structure with the kids back at school, look no further than these tips from our Dietitian!
Main Component
For the main component of school lunch, try to include:
Some ideas include:
- Leftovers from dinner
- Quiches or frittatas
- Zucchini slice
- Fried rice
- Burrito or poke bowls
- A wrap or sandwich
- Sushi
It can be overwhelming trying to think of ideas that will include all three of these elements in the ideal amounts! Keep in mind that they don’t need to necessarily all go together in the one dish for it to be ‘correct’. Lunch can be made up of a few smaller items to achieve the same result.
Snacks
Ideally, snacks would include plenty of colourful foods (fruit or vegetables) and a source of protein. Again, if your child is active at school (which is generally the case!) a carbohydrate source is great here too.
You can also use snacks to top up any key elements where needed, such as a source of healthy fats.
Some ideas include:
- Yoghurt with berries (+ muesli when needed)
- Hardboiled egg with a piece of fruit (+ pretzels when needed)
- Cut up vegetable sticks with dip, such as hummus or tzatziki (+ wholegrain crackers when needed)
Some great lunchbox fillers include popcorn or roasted chickpeas/fava beans.
Download our printable lunchbox tips for your fridge HEREHopefully you’ve found these tips useful! If you’d like more personalised recommendations, our Dietitian Alex is available on Monday mornings from 8am-noon and Tuesday afternoons from 2-7pm at our Glen Iris clinic.