Student Well-being

Healthy eating – school lunches

School is a time when children start to make independent choices about their lifestyles. School aged children learn quickly and are influenced by friends and popular trends. This is an important time to talk about and encourage healthy food habits. Involving children in planning and preparing their own lunchboxes gives them the opportunity to learn about healthy eating, and also gives them a chance to make autonomous decisions about what they will be eating during the day.

Involve your children in healthy choices

Some tips to help get your kids involved include:

Talk to your children about what they would like to have in their lunchbox. Discuss healthier food and drink choices and decide what will be in the lunchbox together.
Write a shopping list together. Take your children shopping with you and let them choose foods and drinks from the shopping list.
Encourage your children help prepare their lunchboxes. Older children may be able to prepare most of their lunch themselves, and younger children can help with making sandwiches or cutting up soft fruit. It is a good idea to prepare lunchboxes the evening before to allow children to participate.

What to put in healthier school lunches

Try planning a healthy lunch box to start the school year. Talk to your children and discuss what they would be happy to have included. The six key parts to a healthy lunchbox include:

Fruit - best choices include fresh or tinned fruit. Dried fruit is sticky and high in sugar, so have it occasionally.
Vegetables - try fresh crunchy vegetable sticks with dip or a small container with mixed vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, capsicum and cucumber.
Milk, yoghurt or cheese - you can use reduced-fat options for children over the age of 2 years. For children who cannot tolerate milk products, offer appropriate daily alternatives like calcium fortified soy or rice drink or soy yoghurt.
Meat or meat alternative foods - try lean meat (like chicken strips), a hard-boiled egg or peanut butter. If your school has a nut-free policy, peanut butter and other nuts should not be included in your child’s lunchbox.
Grain or cereal foods - like a bread roll, flat bread, fruit bread or some crackers (wholegrain or wholemeal options).
Drinks - tap water is best.

Tips for healthy lunchboxes

Cut up large pieces of fruit and put them in a container – this makes it easier to eat, especially if your child has wobbly teeth or if they have less time to eat than they are used to. Send a damp face washer to help with extra juicy fruit.
Consider giving half a sandwich or roll for morning recess, as this is an easy way to get a healthy fill.
In the hot weather, send frozen milk, yoghurt or water, or even frozen orange segments. This makes a great refreshing snack and helps to keep the lunch box cool.
Go for colour and crunch in the lunch box by offering a variety of colourful vegetables and fruit.

There are many online resources where you can find ideas for a healthy and interesting school lunch.

Lauren Borg

Student Well-being Leader