It feels like I am always on the hunt for something! This weekend I was swooping on some clever Bento lunch ideas. Boy did I find a treasure trove of ideas! Amongst them was a guide as to what consists of a healthy lunch.
- Insert soap box here! – If you don’t want to read my rant feel free to turn away now!
As a teacher I have directly been involved in the consequences of a child not eating a healthy lunch (or breakfast). They can become hyperactive on a sugar high only to crash and be irritable, tired and struggling to concentrate. But it’s not just about sugar. It’s preservatives, additives, colours, flavours and all those numbers! It is easy to fill a lunch box with a handful of prepackaged snacks and a sandwich with spread. But easy for who? Not easy for your child’s body and brain, not easy for their teacher, not easy for the environment and not easy for your finances!
I am not a health freak, my kids have eaten McDonald’s on way too many occasions, have had everything that comes in a chocolate variety and eaten more than their fair share of sweets. But I draw the line at sending a lunch box full of prepackaged food to school.
So with that in mind this year I am going to try something new when thinking about school lunches.
- Where possible I am going to make Bento style lunch boxes (minus the creativity!)
- I will plan to have a variety of grains, protein, calcium and fruit and veggies in every lunchbox
- Once a week a sweet treat
- Once a week a juice or milk drink
- I will not use glad wrap!
- I will buy in bulk and separate in to my own smaller containers instead of buying little packets of things.
- I will be organised!
Here is a peek 
In the right hand column I am going to write the date and any other information such as special day at school, events, anything to take into consideration. The rest of the form is then divided into 4 columns for each type of food group. This way I am sure that I don’t leave anything out! This year will be the first time I have 5 days of child lunches to plan and 2 days of adult lunches! It is great being able to see all the lunches for the week!
What do you think?
Have you planned lunch boxes before? Would you like a downloadable blank plan to fill out?
Share the love, leave me a comment!
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Definitely going to follow your lead. First time here for 5 days of lunches so very eager to not use packaged foods, glad wrap etc. tried doing this last year with kinder and need more ideas.
thanks.
Thanks Malinda, you can never have too many ideas! I am sure I will be constantly searching for some!
Brilliant! I would love a blank, downloadable copy, and more healthy ideas, thanks! I like the aqua design too. well done
Blank copy coming tomorrow Rosie! and of course it will be aqua!!! Thanks for leaving a comment!
Love your idea! I would love a downloadable please
Coming right up Annie!
that is how i currently do things (did you see my lunch planner food list on Sunday?) i treat it like a chinese restaurant menu from the states – 1 from column a, one from column b and so on. This year I am asking the kids to pick things as well so i have a better chance it will get eaten.
This is such a great idea, and I love the idea of the kids picking what they want!!
I’m with you Larissa – this teacher has seen way too many bad-food consqeuences too.
Will have to go and check it out Deb!
i love this idea this is something we really stuggle with in this household my son who is 3 does NOT like fruit at all to the point of vomiting often when asked to eat it try it and watching his sister eat it so i find it hard to have a healthy range when fruit is out i can sneak it into muffin extra as long as you can’t really taste it but i often worry when he will be off to school any idea??????
Fruit cut into fun shapes? Made into a spread on sandwiches? Smoothie drink, those fruit squeeze pouches? Blended into yoghurt? Boy do I know your pain I have a 2 year old who only eats pureed fruit!
Great idea!!
I’m a stay at home mum with a newborn and toddler and I’m always struggling with what to feed my son to provide him with all the nutrients his growing body needs. I share your beleifs on healthy eating and think your bento box idea will make lunchtimes in our household much easier.
Thanks for the idea!
No problems Samara! Healthy eating has been a big struggle in this household heres hoping this works!
I think it’s a great idea. I’ve got ASD children who are very, very set in their eating habits. The eldest is almost 9, and in the last couple of years, we’ve been able to teach him to expand his palate. But for the most part, he’ll do it at dinner time.
Breakfast and lunch..he wants the same thing every day. He does NOT like variety. Drives me crazy (fortunately, the choices are reasonable though).
My 4 year old though…the ONLY fruit he will eat is banana. Under any circumstances. I’ve tried cute shapes, I’ve tried toothpicks/skewers. I’ve tried smoothies (which work, provided I can puree enough so that there is NO discernible fruit).
I envy mothers who can make lunches like this. It’s the kind of thing I used to insist “When I’ve got kids I’ll….”.
Hi Melissa, I have always said you have to do what works for you and your child! Mmmm smoothies!
Hi, I would love a blank copy to be able to use, might even help me take that healthy lunch to work as well.
At the moment Decor have a lunch box set ($10 in woolies) comes with 3 containers, water bottle and hard lunch box in soft cooler bag or and a freezer brick. Has been perfect for me to try out the bento style lunches without the ziplock or glad wrap.
Thanks
Blank copy will be up tomorrow Nichole! I just bought a decor set with different sized containers too! We had one last year and it lasted all year!
I’d love a downloadable link to this planner please! My eldest daughter starts prep this year and I’m nervous about making lunches for the first time (they used to supply everything at the child care centre) so I’m in a for a big shock! Would appreciate any help you can offer! Thanks!
P.S I love reading your blog, very inspiring!
Thanks Kim for your kind words! Link will be up tomorrow good luck with the lunches!
As the proud (and slightly scared) mum of 2 with my first starting kindy NEXT WEEK, thank you thank you!! I have put lots of pressure on myself to be mother of the century & with it all kinds of organised… Score 1 for Mum!
Oh I know what you mean about PRESSURE! When you are a teacher you set high expectations for yourself as a parent! You truly know the best and worst of it!
That’s lovely, but wouldn’t be enough for my kids! I have trouble packing enough to feed them enough during the day, but they are very active.
I don’t normally plan my kids’ school lunches, but they’ve got a pretty balanced one (IMO). Basically crudites for the girls with a dip of some sort – sometimes I simply mix mayonnaise with some paprika. That’s their snack. Sometimes it’s cut up fruit. My boy eats fruit for snack and for their lunches it’s either sandwiches with cold cuts and pesto spread or sushi that I make myself or pasta salad with cucumber, tomatoes and tuna. Pretty easy really.
But love your idea of drawing up a plan.
Great ideas Larissa! My kids always have a good breakfast before going to school. I pack carrot sticks for munch n’ crunch, then fruit for morning tea and a sandwich for lunch. I might add in a home baked muffin or some biscuits. Anything more than that, they won’t eat it. Apparently it cuts into their play time. lol. My kids take their sandwiches in a lunchbox…no cling wrap. It just ends up being blown all over the school, and I hate that. Our school day finishes at 2.30pm, so they’re home early enough to have a good afternoon snack without it spoiling their appetite for dinner.