How to not get into boring habits with kids’ lunchboxes
"The brighter the colour of foods in the lunchbox, the better."
By dietitian, Susie Burrell
As kids settle back into the new school year and parents get back into the routine of packing school lunches, it can be easy to fall into serving up the same lunch box items day in and day out.
Read on as dietitian and mother-of-two Susie Burrell shares her top tips for packing school lunches that are far from boring.
1. Go for colour
The brighter the colour of foods in the lunchbox, the better. Think baby tomatoes, chopped carrots, sliced kiwi fruit, different berries, cubes of cheese and bright dips like capsicum and beetroot. This helps to create a visually appealing lunchbox as well as a nutritious one.
2. Keep it varied to keep it interesting
Kids thrive with variety, they are always seeking out the next new and exciting thing, and this is no different when it comes to lunchtime. A super simple trick of packing different lunchbox items each week can be enough to keep things fresh and exciting. Try to avoid repeating the same items in the space of a week, doesn’t mean you can’t come back to them in the future.
3. Customise and personalise lunchboxes
Getting your kids involved with their lunchtime is a great way to get them excited about lunch, for example decorating and customising their lunchbox with stickers and art. Better yet, why not challenge them to create their ultimate lunchbox design.
Golden Circle has just launched a fun competition to design and win your very own customised lunch box built using AI. Does it have a built-in sound system? Does it have wheels and is it remote control operated? Head to the website to enter.
Dietitian Susie Burrell says kids thrive on variety so mix it up when packing lunchboxes.
4. Get your bake on
The novelty of packaged snacks wears off after a while, but the latest tasty mini baking from breakfast muffins, granola bites or fruit breads (that you can sneak veggies into) never grows old, especially if topped with a few choc bits, or a yoghurt drizzle. This is also a great opportunity to get some quality time with your kids, so you can make preparing lunch, a moment you can spend together.
5. Throw in a treat
An occasional treat can go a long way to get kids excited. Whether it is a biscuit, mini chocolate or a low sugar drink such as Golden Circle Refreshers, which is a mix of water and fruit juice, you can create the excitement and anticipation that can be missing from the school lunchbox.
