Lunch box ideas

We constantly hear from people struggling with the daily lunch box drill- if you feel like you are losing the plot when it comes to healthy easy inexpensive kids lunchboxes, here up some easy ways of sprucing up the school day fuel.

Lunch boxes are school fuel. A recent study showed that preschool children would declare anything wrapped in McDonalds packaging tastier than the same food in plain packaging, including raw veggies and fruit.
So it just goes to prove that presentation is everything with kids.

Sandwiches are still the cheapest and easiest food for the lunchbox – I pay around $2.99 for a loaf of house brand toast sliced whole grain bread or 16c per slice.
A basic lunch box might contain:2 slices of bread cost - around 32c
2 teaspoons of peanut butter (house brand again), 8c
Carrot cut in sticks, 24c
2 pieces of seasonal fruit, 40c
1 hard boiled egg, 26c
1 slice of cheese, 21c per slice
50g raisins – 41c
Rice crackers or low fat crackers - 39c
Bottle of water – free

Total cost roughly $2.31

Healthy lunch box food is not expensive; making it appetising to kids brought up with the rustle of cellophane wrapped lunch box stuffers just takes a little creativity.

Sandwiches: If the filling is a simple spread or slice of ham, luncheon or Baloney use shaped cookie cutters to make it more exciting, stamp out a star or heart or animal shape from the middle. Make “Club sandwiches” use 3 slices of bread and layer them – cheese, lettuce and marmite, Peanut butter and honey, Sausage and tomato sauce…

Pinwheel sandwiches – roll long wise and slice like sushi – wrap tightly in cling film to keep them rolled.

Vary the selection with rolls or wraps but keep the fillings simple. I often find kids don’t like sandwiches stuffed with salad but will eat a plain sandwich, then eat carrot sticks, then eat a couple of cherry tomatoes or some snow peas or sprouts… it makes the lunch seem more interesting to them if there are lots of little bits and pieces.