Healthy lunchbox ideas to lighten the load
Love it or hate it, packing lunchboxes are part of school life. So how can we make it easier and more enjoyable for families, while still ensuring kids get the nutrition they need?
Our Foodie Nerds are here to share how they approach the daily lunchbox routine, and offer some healthy lunchbox ideas to ease back into the school year.
Image: School lunchboxes have changed a lot over the years (Credit: Pexels).
Unpacking lunchbox trends
Gone are the days of your standard plastic wrapped sandwich, soft piece of fruit and a frozen drink bottle. These are still out there, but they have been joined by a diverse range of offerings from elaborate bento boxes, to plastic-free pick-and-mixes and online-only canteen orders.
With so much variation, it’s hard to define an ‘average’ school lunchbox in 2025. Research in this field has found some commonalities though, with sandwiches, fruit and snack foods like biscuits, chips and muesli bars making regular appearances.
Why the focus on school lunches?
Research by FOODiQ Global has shown that many children aged between 4 – 11 are falling short in key nutrients needed to support good health and prevent chronic disease. With kids consuming approximately 1/3 of their daily food at school, empowering families to pack balanced lunchboxes can be a helpful strategy to fill these nutrient gaps and support overall health.
Read more: What are the priority nutrients for primary school aged children? Check out our priority nutrients fact sheet with recipes.
Every family is different
It’s important to remember that a balanced lunchbox will look different for different children – there is no one size fits all approach!
There are many factors that contribute to what a child brings to school, including allergies, individual child needs and preferences, time and money constraints and nutrition literacy (to name a few).
Guidelines and resources on what to pack for school lunches are not rules – they can be adapted and there is no need to pack the ‘perfect’ lunchbox every day.
Dr Kyla is a paediatric dietitian working to help reduce the shame and stigma around ‘good’ and ‘bad’ lunchbox choices. You can check out more of her work in this area, including an evidence summary for health professionals, here.
Read more: “Before you bleat about what's in a lunchbox, check your privilege” - Dr Emma Beckett, ABC News, 21 February 2019.
Foodies lift the lid on their lunchbox habits
Image: The Foodie Nerds are here to share how they approach school lunchboxes. (Credit: FOODiQ Global).
While acknowledging the diversity and complexity around what foods kids bring to school, it can be helpful to hear from other parents and caregivers about what works for them. After all, raising kids takes a village!
So what are some tips from our resident nutrition scientists and dietitians for packing the daily lunchbox? Dr Flav, Dr Kylie Abbott and Jutta Wright (APD) from the FOODiQ team are here to share their insights.
1. Aim to hit the core food groups
Image: Checking in with the five food groups can help build a balanced lunchbox (Credit: Pexels).
Most healthy lunchbox guidelines recommend starting with items from the five core food groups in the Australian Dietary Guidelines. These groups include:
Fruits
Vegetables, legumes and beans
Milk, yoghurt, cheese and alternatives
Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans
Grain (cereal) foods
Our Foodies agree that this is a great strategy to start with:
“We try and hit a balance across at least a few of the core food groups – ideally this is where the bulk of their energy comes from, and it increases the odds of them getting the vitamins and minerals they need for healthy growing and development. Variety across the food groups, as well as within the food groups, gives you the best overall chance of success (sometimes it's easier to think of variety over a three day period to account for day-to-day appetite changes).” - Kylie, Curious Foodie.
“I approach lunchbox building with 4 steps, adding protein (cold meat, chicken, tinned fish, egg, baked beans, edamame beans), grains (bread, wholegrain crackers), fruit and vegetables, dairy (cheese sticks, yoghurt) and something to drink (water, 100% juice or milk (plain or flavoured).” - Jutta, Visionary Foodie.
“I like to send a large bento box inspired by the rainbow plus protein. Some key ingredients in our repertoire include
Seasonal fruit (it helps with variety and cost),
veggies (hot or cold: sautéed spinach, celery, cucumber, carrot, tomato slices, avocado, corn on the cob, edamame, raw or cooked mushrooms),
sources of protein (cream cheese, hummus, cheese slices, whole boiled egg, tuna and mayo, salmon, local beef jerky, nuts as we’re not a nut-free school),
yoghurt or milk (like a Tetra Pak milk box), and
whole grains (sandwich triangles with different fillings - sometimes simple jam sandwich cut up for something sweet, and whole grain crackers and avocado, or a simple scroll made from a wrap and with melted cheese cut up into rounds). - Dr Flav, Future Foodie.
For more guidance on translating the core food groups into the lunchbox, check out the following resources:
This handy print out from the Nutrition Australia and The Victorian Government outlines a ‘pick and mix’ approach.
For more visual learners, The Cancer Council offers different combinations of the core food groups with examples.
2. Try and include some colour
Image: Aim to include different coloured fruits and vegetables (Credit: Pexels).
When it comes to fruit and veg, aiming for a variety of colours is a great way to increase nutrient diversity. Pre-cut or mini versions make great grab-and-go options.
Having colourful, easy to grab vegetables on hand in the lunch box and the fridge can be really helpful to boosting kids’ vegetable intake. There is a lot of research around how colour is key to driving people to eat – we eat with our eyes. The key here is making it easy and attractive – we love mini tomatoes, snow peas, green beans (so yummy raw), celery, carrot, cucumber, olives, all the berries, melon (usually watermelon), mandarins and oranges (peeled segments). - Jutta.
3. Save time and reduce waste with leftovers
Image: Using left-overs in the lunchbox can be a winner (Image: Pexels)
Leftovers are an excellent option to save time on busy school mornings, and can include hot or cold options.
“Since pre-school lunchbox days, I've always sent a thermos with leftover dinner. That way the bulk of the lunch is sorted.” - Dr Flav.
“Leftover pasta from night before can make a good school lunch for older kids.” – Jutta.
For more leftover lunchbox ideas and safety tips, check out this factsheet from Nutrition Australia.
4. Make it accessible
Images: How you pack foods can help make lunchboxes more accessible for kids (Credit: Pexels).
Kids are often in a rush during lunchtime, so making it easy to access their food can help increase the chances of them actually eating it.
As kids become more independent, make sure you're packing food into containers or using packages they are capable of opening themselves. Some foods might also need cutlery to eat, or a piece of cloth to clean your face and hands might help a messy peach get eaten (instead of being left smooshed in the lunch box). Cutting foods into bite-sized pieces might also be less daunting for younger kids to tackle. - Kylie.
5. Make use of pre-made snacks
Image: A packet of popcorn can be a great addition to lunchboxes (Credit: Unsplash)
Making food from scratch isn’t always possible or accessible. Thankfully, there are some great packaged snack foods that can play a role in a balanced lunchbox. Bonus – most are shelf stable and can be bought in larger amounts when on special.
Commercial snack foods my kids love include flavoured dried beans and chickpeas, yoghurt pouches, mini rice cakes, wasabi peas, popcorn, cheese sticks and small tins of edamame or black beans - Jutta.
6. Safety first
Keeping lunchboxes safe – especially in the Australian summer - is an important consideration when choosing lunchbox options. Luckily, a few easy steps can help ensure food is kept fresh and hazard free at school.
If their lunch doesn't go into a fridge, an ice brick goes a long way! Alternatively, water bottles, juice boxes, milk poppers, or squeeze yoghurt pouches can be frozen to keep things fresh – Kylie.
I love sending a Tetra Pak milk box because of the straw and novelty of it, plus it doesn’t have to stay cold – it's a great afternoon snack - Dr Flav.
For more lunchbox safety tips check out this fact sheet from Nutrition Australia.
7. Encourage kids to get involved
Image: Giving kids some choice and control can help them build a good relationship with food. (Credit: Unsplash).
It’s all about the buy-in! Encouraging kids to get involved in food preparation and giving them some agency can help children be more independent and adventurous eaters.
We try and ask closed-ended questions such as "would you like this on a bread roll OR a sandwich? Would you like an apple OR a banana for fruit break? Would you like cheese OR yoghurt today?" This can help kids feel in control, and develop the skills they need to start packing their lunches as they grow up - Kylie.
Read more: Food is Cool is an educational program that helps to empower children, families and educators to have a positive relationship with food.
8. Meet kids where they are at
Image: Familiar foods that kids are more likely to eat can be helpful for kids that are busy and easily distracted (Credit: Unsplash)
There are lots of factors that go into whether or not kids choose to eat what’s in their lunchbox, and not all of them are within the control of parents and caregivers. Meeting kids where they are at can help make eating at school more enjoyable for everyone.
Pack some options, and keep variety in mind. The school or daycare day accounts for a large proportion of the day, and having access to nourishing foods will help your child keep up their energy and focus for the day. But the school yard can also be busy and distracting! It's a great idea to have at least some familiar foods they are likely to eat in the lunchbox - Kylie.
Sometimes it can be hard to get older kids to eat much at school. Offering filling and nutritious options at breakfast and afternoon tea can help take the pressure off everyone - Jutta.
9. Think about the long game
Remember that there is no such thing as the perfect lunchbox. Routinely offering options from the core food groups, while not stressing about hitting any particular lunch box ‘rules,’ can help build positive eating habits into adulthood.
Don't overthink it! If you are anxious about what goes into the lunch-box, chances are, your child might start to feel that way too. Navigating lunchboxes together is a key milestone in your child eventually becoming an independent adult, and learning to nourish themselves. Keep it positive and develop a dialogue with your child, so they develop positive language around food. - Kylie.
Key takeaways:
When packing a lunchbox, refer back to the core food groups (fruit, vegetables, lean meats and alternatives, dairy and alternatives and grains).
Aim to pack a variety of foods, including grab and go fruit and vegetable options.
Make sure the lunch box is user-friendly for kids, and get them involved where possible.
Keep perishable foods cool and safe, and stock up on shelf stable snacks.
Try to be realistic and don’t stress about creating the ‘perfect’ lunchbox.
Happy lunch boxing!