So your kids are back at school. Or maybe they’ve just started kindy. The beginning of the educational year is, mostly, exciting and definitely something we all need to adjust to after weeks of holidays and relaxed routines.
Sending your little ones off to school or kindy becomes an operation of planning, negotiating and night-before bag-packing.
If you’re seasoned at it, you’ll have it all worked out but if you’re a newbie – it can be a little daunting trying to navigate your way around all the ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ ways to do things [as judged by your offspring!]
One of the most important things that you will pack in your child’s school/kindy bag is their lunch. Oh God – the dreaded school lunch. Entire communities and blogs are founded on creating the easiest/healthiest/funniest/bestest lunches EVER for your children. It can be a world of intense judgment and expectation. It can also just be something else you have to think about in the morning. Whatever floats your boat is cool with us, but we’ve got some tools that will certainly make the task ahead easier, fresher and more colourful!
Our friends at SMASH sent us a hamper of their latest lunchbox range and we were really surprised at how broad it is. There really is something for EVERYONE. Including the grown-ups!!
Smash Nude Food Movers Enviro Box (left)
The NFM Enviro Box has flip-top lids on its compartments making it perfect to transport all manner of snacks without cross-snack-contamination! They come in a variety of colours and also have interchangeable, custom-fit insulated bags in styles that even your most discerning tween/teen will be happy with.
Available: Woolworths and Big W
The SMASHBOX Hybrid Lunchbox (right)
This is great for the older school-kid. A generous size, it comes with a detachable insulated cover, and a twin compartment lunchbox. It even comes with a leak-proof yoghurt container and sandwich seatbelt perfect for unruly lunches and runaway snacks! It’s dishwasher proof [YAY!] and comes in a variety of colours.
Available: Exclusive to Coles
SMASH Nude Food Movers [NFM]
NFM are all about the three Rs – Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. We love their whole range but in particular found these products the most useful for our kids:
Fruity Mover
Perfect for transporting hard to pack fruits like apples, oranges, peaches etc. For littlies that like their fruit cut up, simply pop a rubber band around the sliced fruit [to keep it from browning] and put the whole ‘ball’ into the container. Voila! We also use it to pack muffins and cupcakes on treat days.
Available: Woolworths, Coles, Officeworks, Big W
Snack and Dip
This is an all-round winner! Suitable for little kids through to grown-ups the removable separator keeps your fresh veggies or crackers away from your dip and the tight seal keeps everything fresh and crunchy. I carry one in my handbag [perfect size!] when I’m for the day and the kids have them for recess in their school bags.
Available: Officeworks
The LIGHT UP Lunch Bag
Yep, you read that right. These are the first LED, light up lunch bags to hit Australia! In two colour choices – pink/purple and blue/red – these lunch bags will be the talk of the school! The LED lights activate when the insulated bag is shaken and they’re roomy enough to accommodate a generous sized lunch. You’ll have one happy kid to bring out THIS lunch bag!
Available: Exclusive to Big W
Cracker Mover
Thank you, thank you SMASH for finally coming up with a way for us to pack those pesky rice-crackers! These containers are genius aren’t they? The perfect size and shape to pack those large rice crackers in but also ideal for crumpets, pikelets and maybe even a cheeky donut for a treat!
Available: Big W
The Adult & Tween Lunch Range
So, it’s not just the kids who are eating their own packed lunch! These days more and more grown-ups are saving thousands of dollars a year by bringing their lunch from home, not to mention the health benefits of avoiding processed convenience meals while on the run. But no longer do you need to explain why your lunch bag has a faded picture of Elmo on it! This new Dining at Work range is not only stylish, it comes in just the right sizes for adult portions.
The food storage containers have the appearance and feel of ceramic serving-ware with café style and being microwave proof, are the perfect solution for taking your left-overs to work for lunch! Yum!
And if you’re blessed to have one of those hard-to-impress tweens or teens in the house [y’know, too big for lame kid’s stuff] then this range is just what you need!
Available: Woolworths and Officeworks
So there you have it! The coolest and most sensible options for your family to take their own lunch to kindy, school and work. SMASH really has thought of everything!
Now if only they could come up with an alarm to remind you to empty the lunch boxes on Friday afternoon so you’re not met with any furry, soggy or smelly lunch box friends on Monday morning, that would be great!
Thanks to our friends at Smash, we’ve got five awesome Smash Family Prizepacks up for grabs.
EACH PRIZE (RRP $135) AND INCLUDES:
- London Ladies lunch Bag – Available at Woolworths RRP $15
- Nyla Ladies Lunch Bag – Available at Woolworths RRP $12
- Drip Kit Mens Lunch Bag – Available at Woolworths RRP $15
- Café Style Bowl x2 – Available at Woolworths RRP $8
- Smashbox – Exclusive to Coles RRP $15
- Light Up Lunch Bag – Exclusive to Big W
- Smash Tritan Widemouth Drink Bottle with Ice Stick – Available at Woolworths RRP $11.99
334 Comments
Great containers and healthy food!
i always pack the night before so im not rushing around in the morning… having good quality containers is also a big help at keeping the food fresh throughout the day 🙂
We have lots of pre steamed and cut up raw vegetables. I just let my daughter pick what she wants, as long as it fits in the lunchbox, she can have them
A frozen water bottle packed in with the lunch keeps it cool, plus she has a cool drink!
My wife showed me that when wrapping sandwiches, for kids lunches, use glad wrap then wrap in foil and this stops the sandwich going soggy when you pack it with an ice brick
I always freeze the water bottle to keep the food in the lunch box cool and fresh. Cold water tastes so much better than warm water too.
A frozen juice popper acts as an ice brick and by lunch time is a nice cold drink!
This year I bought a 2 compartment lunchbox and put the cold stuff in the bottom and the rest up top, its been great (each classroom had a fridge for lunch bags so makes it heaps easier to pack perishables)
My kids did a list for the eldest and pictures for the younger ones of items that I’m ALLOWED!! to pack… I surprise them everyday with a mix of their items and sometimes they get sprinkle picture sandwiches as a treat. When they open them they find a colourful sprinkle picture and they love fairy bread.
I always hide a surprise in the bottom for my daughter once a week
Haven’t got one as yet, so would love to win this pack to help me get creative
My tip is to include about 6 different things so that if your child doesn’t feel like one thing there’s plenty of other options to choose from.
A sticker or note brightens their day and makes a great surprise/treat
I pack the ice pack down the side then lunchbox beside it the squish able fruit on top
add a note or smily face on one item. add a surprise treat once a week (vary the day)
Sunny bananas – favourites but not squishy, squashy in backpacks… SMASH Nude BANANA MOVER perfect problem solver for banana lovers. Lunch-boxes with compartments prevent an inedible mishmash .
Making sure the right lunch goes in the right child’s lunchbox – my 2 boys eat completely different things.
Pack a variety with many healthy options and also a treat
Pack healthy things that taste delicious so thethey don’t know they are healthy 🙂
I include a variety of items in different compartments and one surprise each day. My daughter loves it
I always pack a frozen homemade smoothie – great source of nutrition and keeps food cold for hours!
Always have variety with everyday and pack things that I’d want to eat not just what I think they’ll want to eat!
I try to pack as healthy as possible and I also provide drinks in reusable drink boxes! Kids love them!
I freeze my daughters poppers and put them her lunch box so that it keeps the food cool….
As long as there is a mix of food she is happy
I make food in advance and have snack containers, sandwiches and a healthy(ish) muffin in the freezer ready to go
I’ve always packed a frozen popper to help keep things cool.
Packing trick is having lots of different shaped containers, this way you always have something that will fit in
Bright and colourful , attractive and displayed with imagination.
I am very new to this as my daughter just started Kindy a couple of weeks ago but I am using a frozen yoghurt and ice packs as its been over 40 degrees for a full week now.
a frozen drink to keep things cool, small size servings (more chance of them being eaten), try to send different things each day so he doesn’t get bored with repetition.
Best tip is to get the kids to help. The more involved you can get them, the better the outcome. My kids love getting creative with packing their lunches.
I label everything and preprep what I can on Sunday so each morning I just have to place in lunch box .
Freeze a box of fruit juice to make a nice ice pack to keep food nice and chilled in this summer heat
Get the kids involved from the start….the shopping. No point wasting money on food that will end up as science experiments at the bottom of the school bag
Make up the lunchbox the night before and store it in the fridge. It’s one less thing you’ll have to worry about on a chaotic school morning.
Always have a variety to prevent boredom
Labeling morning tea from lunch. Cutting up or taking out of packaging for more room inside lunch box containers. I always pack a little treat eg jelly cup or something sweet for mr to enjoy after he’s eaten all the goods 🙂
I let the kids help me to pack their lunch boxes so they are “choosing” what they eat (from a selected list)
My lunchbox packing trick is to have a small frozen water bottle in the lunchbox to keep all the food cool and to have everything prepared the night before to stop any rushing around on the school morning.
Keeping the food colourful, fresh and I always pack either frozen grapes or yogurt to keep everything cool inside the lunch box!
We pack individual mini containers for Mr 4 who hates getting food mixed up.
Pack as much as u can the night before and use good sealing containers to avoid messy spills! My girls must also put lunch box n drink bottles on the bench as soon as we get home
Less plastic packaging means more room for healthy snacks, and freeze a small juice box for extra coldness to keep food fresh
I make home made muffins and freeze them so the kids always having healthy lunchbox fillers.
My lunchbox packing trick is my hubby! He’s the foodie in our house and enjoys packing the kids lunchboxes. I’m very lucky! To keep it interesting, he likes to shape the sandwiches and include a little treat.
Making lunch the night before
i always prepare mine for the week ahead – that way i can just grab and go!
Daughter just started Prep, this would be great 🙂
Loving the lunchbox with light!
I freeze squeezy yoghurts for my kids, it keeps the yoghurt cold until lunch and also works as an extra ice pack in their lunch boxes!
Freeze as much as I can to keep the rest of the food cold and fresh.
I bake on a Sunday i do cupcakes,fruit & savory muffins,scrolls, when cold wrap individually & freeze ready to grab & pop in the lunch boxes for the week, always have piece of fruit & carrot celery & cucumber sticks.
Pack a selection of healthy snacks, grapes, carrot sticks, rice crackers etc in brightly coloured containers and add a little sticker or puzzle to make it fun 🙂
I let my son pack his lunch, with healthy options. That way I know he won’t come home with an uneaten lunch
My 2 are new to school and daycare so no tricks from me but wow ive learnt a few from the others on here. Thanks everyone!!
I pack the school lunches the night before mornings are crazy busy here to get out the door to make the bus on time
Always put some fruit for lunch. Add a small ice pack in the summer to keep it fresh.
Making it the might before or having muffins etc in freezer for easy and quick lunchbox items
Ice packs to keep the food cool and fresh and anything that might get squashed goes into a small container.
Saves the enviroment with no wrap, or ziplock bags! food stays together and fresh and the kids love them as they as funky as ever!
I’m a morning maker. I like my food freshly made so do the same for kids. Their 1 treat is packed in the bottom, with their healthy on top so they must eat it first. And being school starters they are supervised inside for eating so there is no sneaking it first.
i pack the snacks and fruit the night before but make the sandwiches fresh in the morning
I always include a heap of fresh fruit for snacks and a frozen water bottle to keep everything cool and fresh!
I include the children in the packing of their lunch, leaving everyone happy.
Fruit sandwich and home baked treats
I etch a message into his Banana! By fruit time he can read his message
Our Family Lunchbox Treat, is to add a little something that is simply sweet. A little note of love and support from home, to remind our ASD sons they are never alone, tucked in with a yummy treat from the the family baking, we made together earlier that week.
Always keep variety in mind, so as to prevent boredom. I like to keep a stash of homemade bread in the freezer for the week.
Organise and prepare the night before to save some time in the morning
I give him some options to choose from and he packs it how he likes it. It gets any disappointment over and done with before school.
we use little square icepaks to keep food fresh and cold and sealable sandwich bags to keep from getting soggy
don’t buy share packs.. buy in bulk and use reusable packaging, lighter on the hip pocket and better for the environment.
I prepare anything suitable to freeze eg: muffins, cake etc and pack lunches the night before.
Pack bright colours so it looks like a big healthy yummy rainbow:)
Making sure that “squishy” things are packed either in a hard container or on top to prevent mess at the bottom of the lunch bag
i freeze poppas I then add them to the lunch box to keep carrot sticks, dip ect cold
These are great idea not only for us mums to pack lunches easily and without rubbish but they make it fun for the kids and more likely for fussy eaters to want to eat!! A great idea! Love the colors and looks of these products.
Nutella in a sandwhich. Kids always assume its Vegemite until they take a bite. Yum!
I let the kids decide what they would like to eat. We make it together and it means they will eat.
Put all the boring stuff in with the exciting stuff so they HAVE to eat through it. Mixed noodles are great for that!
Variety is the key. I try and mix it up with sandwiches, wraps, scrolls or savory muffins/mini quiches. Not always easy but I try. Also a mixture of diff fruit and veg for snacks. I like containers that have dividers so different foods are kept separate also.
Let the kids help in packing their lunch in their favourite lunch box helps get them interested
We let the kids choose some things to go into the lunch box, and a little note to make sure they know to eat their fruit first and they can eat the rest, and on how much we love them, (they love their little notes 🙂 )
Pack variety and differently daily
My lunchbox trick, is colours!!!!! Making sure there is a variety of colours, entices their interest in food more, and makes eating healthy less boring.
Raw veggies, fruit, cheeses- there’s so many varieties out there which look amazing sliced/diced and served up nicely. My children can’t wait to see what’s in their lunch boxes!
Not to pack anything that is squishy. I don’t have any of these awesome containers so if I put anything squishy in, it gets squished and then the kids wont touch it
Its all about the layout, make it look appealing and they will want to eat it
You can write on a banana skin with a needle or pin, and after a couple hours, what you wrote is really clear and easy to see. You can write an I love you or encouraging message in the peel.
Buying bulk instead of share packs and fruit salad instead of just one piece of fruit. They prefer that instead of having to eat a whole apple or pear, etc
my children are not fussy, so they are happy with anything that get packed in their lunchboxes. a favourite would be salad wraps.
Organise the night before!
I always keep a frozen icepack in their lunch box to keep food fresh so it is more enjoyable for them to eat.
I have a number of options for lunch boxes and have them on the counter. The kids then “help” me by choosing which items they want for the day and packing their own lunch boxes. I still know exactly what they’re having and they feel empowered because they’ve been allowed to choose and have a say in what they eat. Win/win!
We are out the door early so I have lunch boxes packed the night before to save time.
Making up some fruit salad on a Sunday makes it really easy to just scoop some into little containers for lunches and that way there is a nice mix of fruit so the kids don’t get as bored with fruit
Have everything done the night before.
Get my children to pack it themselves with the choices I provide!
We get the kids to do it. They know by now, that there is a fruit, a dairy and a vegetable that has to be included and they can choose which option of each they want. Its teaching them as well as helping us out with our routine.
As a dad I like to see healthy fun food packed by the children themselves it’s all about learning to eat well
Add a little frozen water bottle to keep the lunch fresh in summer
Separate compartments is a lifesavour as. My kids hated food touching each other,
If you add a 3/4 drink of frozen water, then add a bit of cold water your child will have the cold water to drink at lunch time. Don’t fill it to the brim or you may damage the container.
Love using the Tupperware lunchboxes with the 4 separate compartments; 1 for the sandwich and 3 others to fit various snacks such as fruit, chips, popcorn, slices and cakes. I also like to pop small treats on top of the sandwiches for an extra little surprise
Pack the lunch boxes the night before to prevent the crazy morning rush.
use a single serve yogurt, freeze the night before and use to keep the rest of lunch cool
We do a weekly lunch box prep. Grapes, yogurt, slices and biscuits all go in nfms. Then lunch box packing is easy, make a sandwich and grab 1 or 2 of each snack. Done 🙂
get the kids to pack what they want, that way they will eat what they pack, if they are still hungry its their fault they didn’t pack enough food.
My lunchbox trick – always add an apple.
We get lunches ready in the evening which help the morning run smoothly. I love small containers pm a good variety can go in the box.
Prepare lunches the night before! Saves heaps of time!!
l always put a little surprise in lunch box, like a photo or a small lolly or a special note
I always get the kids to help. Not only are they learning skills but they also seem to eat more!
Cut pack on processed nonsense and serve fresh and healthy alternatives! You will feel as good as they do for it!
pack the lunchboxes the night before!
Frozen yoghurt helps keep other food cool until lunch time.
A frozen popper keeps the lunch cool.
finger foods are easy and divine, my kids love the variety so they never whine
Giving leftovers for lunch is a big hit here. I put them in an insulated flask to keep them warm until lunchtime.
I always pack a frozen yoghurt and frozen hot meal to keep the rest of the lunch cold. 🙂
Lots of small items for small fingers
Fresh fruits, sandwich fingers, carrots, cheese, Sultanas
Frozen water for coldness
Easy to prepare and comes back empty
I have one daughter and I make 3 lunch boxes up on Sunday and 2 on Wednesday makes my week so much more organised.
Can I ask what sort of things you put in them, I’m interested to know what keeps well. I’ve always wanted to do this in advance, but am scared that all of it will go yucky. Thanks
Hi, I put a sandwich or wrap with vegemite, jam or honey. Then I put a cheese stick or yoghurt, I put 2 piece of fruit: strawberries, grapes, mango pieces, watermelon, peach all keep well. I put lemon on cut up apple it keeps well. I then put home made biscuits or muffins (if no time for home made then bought ones). Scrolls also keep well instead of sandwiches. I also sometimes put dried fruit, fruit balls or museli bars. I keep the lunch boxes in the fridge till needed. My daughter doesn’t eat vegetables but for hubby I do carrot and celery sticks with humus. Hope that helps.
Get my husband to do it- apparently he ALWAYS does it better than Mummy anyway…
Bite-size fruit. And bite-size everything! Sausage rolls, cut-up sandwiches, mini quiche, little pasta salads and you come back with an empty lunch box!
This would come in handy when making 4 lunches
This would be great for miss fussy lol different colour to suit the day
Put the frozen drink bottle in with your food to keep it fresh.
I get my kids involved and we make them after dinner in our own little working line.
We fill them with fresh colourful fruits so it looks delicious and tasty salad sandwich cubes!
My daughter-in-law packs a cold chocolate custard to keep the lunches cool in summer.
Frozen poppers work very well. Kids can drink them when defrosted or enjoy them as “slushies”. Food stays cold and kids stay happy – win win 🙂
I get my son involved in packing and choosing what goes into his lunch box – he loves using the nude food containers and getting them to fit neatly into his lunch bag
Planning the week ahead as much as possible! Not be desperate last thing on the morning trying to find something to put in the box!
Pack a frozen fruit juice or milk drink to keep food cool.
Making sure the sandwich and other snack items are actually liked by my daughter – in Kindy last year, she refused to have anything other than jam. One day I made the mistake of thinking that as she likes ham, I’d send a ham sandwich instead. She took one bite of one quarter of the sandwich and that was all.
But best of all I got shouted at as soon as she got in the car “Mummy, I asked for JAM not HAM!!”
Freeze the yoghurt – It acts as a icepack in the lunchbox to keep everything else cold.
LOVE YOU PRIZE ITS WONDERFULL SHOULD BE SOMETHING THERE TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY ……AND GREAT WAYS OF MAKING THE LUNCH BOX LOOK GREAT
Plan ahead and make sure there’s plenty of variety – my kids get bored with food so easily. Let them pack their own lunch at least once a week (more as they get older).
Writing a note of inspiration provides appetite stimulation!
Let the kids help choose what the want to eat, the will be more likely to eat the healthy snacks if they chose them, themselves!
Getting the kids involved with helping what goes into their lunch boxes is a great way to encourage healthy options.
Pack a little something extra in your child’s kid lunch box for a healthy mind! Like a note saying I love you or even a simple smiley face. Be creative and come up with something like a funny cartoon or saying that you know will put a smile on your child’s face.
I love to puree my own fruits and put them into a ‘squeezie’ pouch. I then freeze this so it keeps the lunchbox cool and is nicely defrosted just in time for lunchtime.
Get it all done the night before, then Miss 7 can pack it in her bag without holdups in the morning
Pack it the night before in keep fresh containers and freeze….next day off they trot and by lunch their food is defrosted, cool, and fresh
We aim for multi colour and multi texture in the lunchbox. Carrot sticks, strawberries, celery, sultanas, cheese, and dried fruits are always a winner.
Have all recess and lunch sorted and packed the day prior; usually two snacks (one healthy, one ‘treat’) and a sandwhich. Drink bottle is partly frozen over night and topped up in the morning to ensure it stays cool throughout the day.
Create delicious lunchbox treats where creativity/fun meets
Add in healthy snacks enlightened by informative food facts
Produce fresh and home grown from the garden we proudly own
Bring it all together with SMASH; makes a splash, food is eaten in a flash!.
what simple & practical solutions to packing lunches, helps to make it more interesting, with what extras u can pack into these containers
My trick would be teaching and encouraging our children to be active participants in doing their lunches, it empowers them and is helpful to us as parents
My daughter loves making her own concoctions, if you want it eaten get them to help
Our school has a ‘no rubbish rule’ Love these lunch systems, great for the environment, fun for the kids and I think they really help with healthy eating as kids love putting veggie sticks and dips in the little compartments!
Pack the night before, freeze leftovers, be creative so they dont get bored of what theyre eating.
My lunch box packing trick is pack the night before, it may be simple but it truly saves our family from being late. None of us are morning people!
I freeze small drinks to help keep everything in the lunchbox safe & cool & keep the kids hydrated.
I got excited and tried to make clever lunches but my 5 year old complained that she wanted the same thing over and over. So my trick is to make the containers appealing! She likes the brightly coloured tubular containers that screw together for biscuits and fruit – they sit neatly in the sude pocket of the lunch box designed for drink bottle.
Pack mini dip servings!
I freeze yoghurt to help keep the contents cool
My trick is to pack the night before so there is no rushing around in the morning.
i let my kids pack their own..they tend to eat it when they prepare it themselves!
my girls love it when I pack little tubs of mayo or dip in with celery and carrot, they also like it when they don’t have to put in a sandwich bag to eat straight out of the lunchbox less rubbish at school and home
My daughter is not really a sandwich eater so I have to be a bit more creative with her lunch boxes with carrot and celery sticks, fruit and biscuits
Always pack with an icebrick to stop food from going warm
i pack a litterless lunch for my kids to make it easier for them to eat their food
I freeze sandwiches the night before and pack it for my daughter so by the time she eats it at school the bread will be nice and soft without being soggy.
icebricks!!!! & a good mix of what i want them to eat & their own choice items as well
I asked my daughter what she want to eat the night before and organized everything,. In the morning just put them in the lunch box
Multiple containers, so that things don’t get all mixed together and my kids can focus on eating one thing at a time
Wrap everything individually to stop the mess and keep everything fresh, flavoursome and tidy
Definitely nude food and lots of healthy, nourishing food to help my babies get through their big day at school! Some new containers to support out nude food rules would help!
Using a lunchbox with multiple compartments so I don’t need to use wrapping. This still keeps everything fresh and then fruit-time, recess and lunch-time are all in their own sections.
my son loves to graze on small amounts of everything so a lunch box with separate containers to give him loads of variety is great
Freeze half-full water bottle overnight and pack it in the lunchbox to keep both the food and the drink cold
A frozen drink drink bottles or a frozen yogurt will help keep sandwich and fruit fresh and cool.
Freeze a neck wrap, so when kids get to their lunch box it is cold & they can then wear the neck wrap at lunchtime to cool down
All I do is make sure it is something they will eat, keep it simple, with their favourite fruits and yogurts and whatever sandwich topping they prefer.
I get my kids to help make their lunches, such as healthy muffins or zucchini slice, as they are more likely to eat something they have helped make
Lots of small bite size snacks with lots of colour they will eat everything
frozen yoghurt, home made meat cutlets, crackers and dry fruits
Lots of variation, so the kids don’t get bored with the same offerings!
Lots of small containers filled with fruit , cheese and cut up vegetables with a tub of yoghurt to dip them in !
Get the kids to help make the lunch, they are more likely to eat it. Smaller amounts of a variety of different foods is best.
A nice healthy yoghurt will keep frozen yet be ready to eat for recess.
Lots of different things so my boys don’t get sick of the same thing everyday
I have a number of healthy options, and have my boys to select what they would like. That way, there is less of a risk that the same food will return home at the end of the day!
Where possible pack leftovers from the night before. Saves time and money!
love extra storage and quick easy solutions being a mother of four need lots and lots of containers.
cut fruit up as little ones will always choose it as its easier to handle
Freeze the things that are freezer friendly (yoghurt, drinks, fruit) especially during summer.
I like to freeze an “Up-n-Go, as it keeps the food cold, and it’s long lasting until Second break!
freeze yoghurt pouches, great treat and keeps the lunch cool
make a treat on the weekend that can be frozen for school
To Save Lunchbox $$ we avoid expensive ‘multipacks’ snacks e.g. rice crackers, instead we buy the large packs & just portion out snack-sized serves into reusable tubs or zip-lock bags.
Variety of different snacks and different spreads on sandwiches and freeze poppers.
I give my kids a choice from a variety of healthy options so I know that they’ll eat it. I also check their lunch box as soon as they get home so there are no nasty surprises the next day. At the moment I’m using glad wrap which is time consuming and wasteful so this prize would be wonderful.
Make fun food,i use different cookie cutters to made fun sandwiches, so he will enjoy earring his sandwich
Pack it the night before. It makes school mornings SO much more manageable.
I agree with a couple of the other comments. Lots of variety in small quantities so they don’t feel overwhelmed.
Variety! I let the kids help make the Treats they would like to take that week. Getting them involved is fun and they tend to eat better when it’s something they want to show off to their school friends.
I make lunch interesting as I know I don’t like to eat the same thing every day and they don’t either. The contents change regularly from bread to wraps and/or crackers. A piece of fruit will change to a fruit salad. A muesli bar one day might be a muffin the next. The one item that doesn’t change though is a bottle of water.
Definately letting the kids help me; they’re involved and therefore more likely to eat what they’ve spent time making.
Each fortnight, I get my kids to sit down with a loaf of bread each and all the fillings they like and they make their school sandwiches for that fortnight. I label them and pop them straight in the freezer and don’t have to think about sandwiches again for a few weeks. The kids love it and it takes away so much before schooltime stress for us.
Prepack sandwiches , cakes and freeze them. Have a box of acceptable treats the kids can choose from in the pantry and fruit in the fridge.
Once the kids get home, clean the lunchboxes we do then repack them and put them in the fridge ready for the morning
Add plenty of colour and variety to keep them happy and looking forward to opening their lunch box everyday!
I make sure the kids have a selection of healthy options to keep lunches interesting
I freeze their drink bottle to keep fresh food cool, by lunchtime it becomes a hydrating drink!
I give my kids a choice things they can take and they pack their own lunches. But every so often I put in a treat
I mix up the ingredients for variety but the basics are always the same which means less time thinking about it in the morning!
I make vegemite sandwiches ahead of time & freeze them. By lunchtime, they’ve defrosted & are ready to eat 🙂
I freeze as many sandwiches, cakes, muffins etc in advance as I can to save some precious school morning time.
Don’t let the kids see you pack their lunch. That way whatever they get is a surprise and more exciting to eat!
I freeze yogurt to ad to the lunch box, it keeps things nice and cool, I also freeze water in their water bottle only half and ad water in the morning, on hot days they have nice cool water all day
chicken wraps so easy to cut to fit any size lunch box
pack extra every now and again so they can share with a friend, I always loved a treat from my school friends
I make sure the sandwiches are frozen (anything but lettuce or salad items) and packed in my smash bags with an ice brick we always have fresh sandwiches
I pack their lunchboxes the night before school and allow them to choose a little sweet treat, than pack them with a keep cool pack and in the fridge for next day. Saves time and the kids get the treat their desire.
I make and freeze sandwiches and some snacks on the weekend to help make lunch box packing a breeze for the busy week ahead!
some special notes of love in their lunchbox.
I always pack lunches the night before, that way the children can help decide what goes in so I know that it will be eaten and there’s no complaining in the morning when it’s time to leave for school that they don’t like what I’ve packed for them.
Flat drink bottle, frozen (but not all the way to the top, so it doesn’t explode), packed into lunch box with napkin on top, then sandwich and everthing else in and around it to keep them cool so they don’t go off and make little tummies sick.
The trick is to pack what my child likes and what I deem right for my child to consume, NOT what schools, governmental bodies or anyone else deem fit! I pack what’s good for mine, not anyone else’s children……..children need to be taught what they can and can’t eat if they have issues. Yes rant over, soz………very annoying in the news of late, children need to be taught how to cope with their individual issues, not the world conforming to cope with one child’s food intolerance/allergy!
My trick is to leave an ice pack in the lunch box, it’ll keep the kids lunch nice and cool.
My orange snake ( skin peeled like one and left attached at the base ) covered with cling film to one side and sandwiches( frozen) to the other with lighter things ( crisps, grapes ) on the top.
I Involve my kids while packing their lunchboxes – they love to cut sandwiches with cookie cutters and make fruit kebabs & the best thing is that they look forward to lunchtime in school.
Our school is encouraging nude food lunch boxes trying to earn their 5th star to become a sustainable school.
I have 5 containers in the pantry one for each day of the week. In each one it has their snacks, whole fruit and non fridge ingredients (where appropriate) and a list of what they are having each day . All lunches are made fresh as my kids don’t eat frozen/thawed lunches (which I can’t blame them). I just grab the container, make the lunch, add the fresh fruit and snacks. So quick and easy. The note is super handy, so say they’re having yoghurt that day I know just to grab it from the fridge, It lists what to make for lunch so no thinking and it’s easy to vary the snacks and lunches and make it a fun lunch box. All done in only a few minutes.
My children are past the lunchbox stage BUT I desperately need a new one for when I go to school each day and teach. The kids would be so jealous of my new stylish lunchbox
I make yoghurt and freeze it so that it keeps the rest of the food cool in summer and the kids love it!
Make it look as exciting and enticing as possible. Also always include something cold or frozen, drink etc.
My lunch box trick starts at the supermarket, let the kids
be involved selecting fruit or vegetables that they would like to eat for
lunch. They are so distracted at the supermarket they forget it’s a “chore” for
them and also they are keen to eat what is packed for them as they helped select
it. Double win: Quick supermarket shop and no left over lunch is brought home.
My packing tip is making sure the heaviest goes at the bottom & lightest at the top, no more squishy food!
Ask your kids what they want, don’t just guess, get them involved.
Don’t pack them in view of your families pet cockatoo, because I learnt the hard way, that bugger likes to attack lunch boxes to find his own treats!
Reusable containers and I find flat lunchboxs are better for your children to see what they have to eat.
I pack left to right for recess, lunch and on the bus snacks.
Dont send them with too many options – they always start with the least healthy items and conveniently get too full.
My lunchbox trick is to my kids with healthy fruits and veg but then add something special down the bottom of the lunchbox as a treat for eating all their healthy food.
Put the biggest thing in first, for me its the sandwich box. Then tetris the smaller foods and containers around it, and always pack fruit on top so its first to be seen and hopefully eaten!
Containing lunch has never been cooler
My lunchbox packing trick is to let them do it themselves! They select something from each group of foods. They take more care with it and learn the ‘right’ foods to have each day
My packing trick is to freeze a juice popper or yoghurt so it helps keep the rest of the lunch cold for longer. Plus I loved when I was at school and having a slushy popper at lunch time and eating it with a spoon 🙂
I have never seen these containers before. The round rice thins container is excellent. Great for work lunches as well.
My lunchbox trick is to create a healthy lunch by making it look appealing & fun so I use multiple small containers & cutout shapes for sandwiches & snacks.Works a treat!
Pack the night before. That way you’re not frazzled or rushed and have time to put together a healthy lunch box. We also use re-usable sandwich wraps which are amazing!
Harder things are always on the bottom with the softer things on the top.
My trick is teaching the kids how to make their own lunch!
My trick is to fill the lunch box up with fruit. I usually out 3 pieces of fruit in my childrens lunchboxes instead of processed sweet foods such as LCM bars or the like
I give my son a couple of healthy options for his lunch & ask him which he would prefer (that way I know he will eat it). I always chuck in a tiny treat too 🙂
Thankfully my son isn’t a fussy eater, he just loves food and a lot of it. I just have to make sure I pack lots a fresh fruit for him to enjoy
I pack a variety of healthy snacks in small containers inside his lunchbox! He loves variety so sultanas, pretzels, lightly salted popcorn and fresh fruit as well as his sandwich always goes down well 🙂
We always have a minimum of 2 pieces of fruit, often a vegetable as well. Snacks include popcorn, occasional treats, sultanas, rice crackers (plain – don’t like flavoured ones – too many additives). Sandwiches, rolls or wraps. Usually kept pretty simple. My 3 all have different tastes, but they have to accomadate each other occasionally
always prepare the night before
When I do the weekly grocery shopping, I cut up fruit & veg (carrots, watermellon, strawberries, grapes etc) and store it in containers in the fridge, making it nice and easy for my son to pick out what he wants to take every day.
My daughter is 2 and we have just started at Family Day Care, one of the reasons to this was the daycare centre we like has just introduced a no nut, no egg and limited dairy rules, which I find difficult to comprehend o
Do you have to provide your child’s food at Family Day Care? I thought it was included in your fees. They are more expensive than Childcare Centres and you buy the food too??
The day care centre was $85 nappies only supplies and they were open from 6-6. The family daycare I have gone through are $5.50p/h with nappies included. Both are me doing the food supply. But with the smaller group of kiddies they only ask for no nuts but everything else is fine
The one my relatives use is probably around the $85.00 day mark. They give the kids morning and afternoon snacks – sliced up fresh fruit. Hot cooked lunch. If they are still having a bottle and having cows milk they provide that too. You just to have to provide your own botles. If you have to go in when they are cooking the lunches, they smell pretty good too.
A variety of food that doesn’t go off is great for a fussy eater also finding containers and lunch box that withstands the rough handling of boys haha.
To ensure the lunchbox contents get eaten, I get my Miss 13 Years to help with whole process. She joins in the planning, the shopping and the preparation of her lunches, that way she is more inclined to eat it rather than just bin it like most High School kids sometimes do.
Sandwich lunchbox with a thermo outside unzipped and left both in the fridge overnight. So it’ll keep cool next day and kids won’t forget to bring the thermo.
I always have the large corn thins on hand in a container in the pantry for those days when I run out of fresh bread for the kids lunches. Life saver! The small ice packs are great for keeping fruit, cheese and yoghurts nice and cool too.
I always use these containers for my son to access healthy snacks through his busy days.
This would change my life, sad but true!!
Get the kids to help – if they make it in our house they tend to eat it (even if it’s only getting things in and out of the fridge).
Variety of food and let the kids help pack the items
Always remember to take out lunchbox from the school bag straight after school. I hate finding a gross lunchbox and having to clean and repack it before school.
I wish I had a trick but I don’t haha I just pack in as much as I can cos my daughter is a little hungry horse!
A variety of food but not too much to ensure the lunchbox contents get eaten.
Everything in containers as it makes it easy for the kids to eat their lunch
When packing a sandwich, if you keep the lettuce separate you can keep the lettuce staying moist and the bread staying dry.
I respond to awesome storage/lunch box solutions a little bit like the way some people react to stationary – irrational but consuming fascination & love. My daughters do too, so making sure their munchies are packaged in a fun but reusable way is a major asset in getting them to eat! Weird but true!
I freeze a yoghurt pouch to keep things cold and it’s also a lunchtime snack as well.
Don’t overdo there favourite mix it up otherwise you will here that was yuck lunch lol
A frozen whole orange, kerps their lunch cool and is a super tasty healthy treat.
(If possible) co ordinate “treats” with their closest friends. My kids LOVE when they have the same cool drink or yogurt etc as their friends =)
Very old school lol but freeze your juice box to keep the rest of the lunch cool and fresh in the lunchbox
Forward planning. It’s the only way I can survive, if we haven’t planned out the lunches and shopped accordingly I’m lost.
I put a frozen water bottle in my kids bag to keep their lunch cool.
I put in a variety of different foods
offer a variety of healthy snacks every day
Frozen water bottle to keep food cool!
They say variety is the key, but I find if I pack the staples they love, it never comes back empty!
As soon as they are old enough (my eldest started at 5) – get them to pack their own lunch (within reason) so that they choose things they will actually eat.
I don’t cut the sandwich all the way through (nearly though!) so it doesn’t fall apart when putting it inside the snap lock bag.
I get my children involved with packing their lunch boxes every night after dinner. Each also gets one request every day (eg. “no yoghurt tomorrow please”, “savoury muffin instead of sweet muffin for morning tea please”, ” strawberries please instead of apples”) and one choice (eg. “choose between mandarin and grapes”, ” choose between mesclun and spinach”) to allow them some freedom of choice and to keep them interested in the food!
My niece and nephew will be the SMASHING students at Kindy and child care
I bake chocolate and apple mini cupcakes in big batches and freeze them, then pop one in my sons kindy lunchbox, he loves them.
teaching our boys while they’re young to take initiative with their lunchboxes, drink bottles has been benefiticial in empowering them and encouraging them to make good choices
keep it simple and nude!
Insulated covers on luncboxes keep food cool and fresh. Such a SMASHing idea – thanks Smash for making my little ones lunches so perfect to eat!
My bit thing isto ensure their is variety in my kids lunch box – my girls always eat better when I give them a small amount of 4-5 things rather than a large amount of 2-3 things.
Fresh is Best! My son and I make his lunch box treats together. Quality time together, learning new skills, talking about food in a positive way, saves money and no nasty additives!!
Best of all we have lots of fun together and he wants to eat what he made!
I don’t have any tricks. No matter what goes in the lunch, generally comes home! I just wish they would eat what is packed. I must admit I never linked my school lunches. it also came home. Maybe it’s genetic!
Keep it simple, no wrappers, lots of fruit and veggies which lets them eat on the run.
All my kids snacks and lunches are in smash boxes, so for me its like a game of tetris trying to make everything fit in nice and neatly. I always win and make everything fit!
I don’t have any tricks but I’m sure these Smash items would help with that. 🙂
My trick is to get the kids to help with their lunches that way they will be more likely to eat it.
if you are going for a bento type of lunch box, pack everything tightly so it will retain it’s form
I put in a bit of everything that way they have a choice and they eat most of it and love it 🙂
I put “little lunch” in a separate container in the big lunchbox, makes it much easier to grab for recess
Freezer brick! This keeps the lunch nice and cool, nothing worse than a warm cheese sandwich 🙁
Freeze mini water bottle, then into non-geeky towelling ‘pouch’ to absorb condensation. Distinctively separate “little lunch’ from ‘big lunch’ .. but if they are mixed up… why worry as long as some food is eaten!
Cut fruit up to bite size, kids don’t really want to eat a full apple, just give them a bit of everything.
I make sure that I have a large rotation of snacks and lunches so there is something different everyday – keeps the excitement in having lunch
Lots of little snacks, such as grapes, cheese and biscuits, they will tend to eat it all if there are smaller portions, and more variety 🙂
We used a promotional offer so our son was able to design his own lunchbox. He loves packing his school lunch and snacks into his unique lunchbox and it comes home empty.
Freeze half a bottle of water then top up with cold water – keeps the food cold, but means there is water available to drink also, have easy to eat foods that don’t need to be peeled eg grapes, cherry tomatoes, celery, carrot and zucchini strips, small squares of cheese etc
grated carrot in a roll more often eaten than carrot sticks that take too long when play time is calling
I freeze some Greek yogurt in a reusable pouch and place a sandwich on top to keep it cool. It’s handy for ham or chicken wraps too. And bento forks make everything fun to eat! Cubes of cheese, grapes and mini bliss balls.
If I happen to be putting half, or part, of a banana or avocado into my daughter’s lunchbox, I wet a paper napkin and wrap it around the banana – this stops it browning, and she also then uses the napkin to wipe up her hands/face after eating!
a lot of little snack foods, as I find it easier and my daughter tends to eat for.
using wraps with cheese and ham and cutting them in bite sizes. I place little frozen ice packs in there so the cheese doesn’t go off and doesn’t cause to to sweat.
I add a frozen sandwich to keep everything cool
Cooler bags are great and winning this prize pack would be awesome as I am abusy mum of three and don’t have time to put snacks into plastic bags or brown paper bags
Leeanne
I put the last things to eat on the bottom or on the sides, I find they take out what every is in the centre first,I don’t think they really eat what I think they should eat first or last
I use frozen poppers to keep everything else cool
Good idea, thanks 🙂
Two ice bricks in the lunch bags keep everything cooler for longer.
Freeze a bottle of water but leave a gap at the top, otherwise it will expand too much and may damage the lid or in extreme cases even split the bottle no matter how sturdy it is. Water will not contaminate food if it isn’t done up tightly enough.
Use square or rectangular containers – things fit better.
I pack loose fruit in smaller containers and try to pack sandwiches separate to ensure no soggy bread ac cures
Fun shaped sandwiches always help to make sure they get eaten.
Lots of little snack, with a sandwich for their main lunch. I find more stuff gets finished if I give them lots of choice.
A variety of different foods works for me
Always lots of different fruits as he loves his fruit
I use a soft lunch box and pack sandwiches, fruit etc in their own plastic container so it’s all separate and pop in a yoghurt container and plastic spoon.. then ice block in the morning
I make snacks small and lots of varieties make sure they get eaten.
I pack everything into zip lock bags so not to stress out my 5 year old, he loves a lot of variety
Having the food, the containers (or lunchbox) plus a small tub to collect scraps is the easiest way for me to prep three healthy lunchboxes
I have smash products all throughout my kitchen cupboards. They get used by everyone from my 6 year olds water bottle to the sandwich containers for my 20 year old son. Great product with funky colours.
I do the same sandwiches all year
I have no tricks, I’m hopeless and need help for my coeliac daughter!!!
Variety of healthy snacks with a known favourite an yoghurt pouch -win for keeping cool, win for dairy content
I have 3 separate small containers for my young school aged boy- a munch and sip, recess fruit/ cracker box and a lunch box. Pack them in with an ice brick or two, and a half ice half water filled bottle all into one cooler bag. It keeps the food cool and there’s no fuss when he doesn’t finish one part. It usually stays cool still for him to finish it all for afternoon tea. The trick is to remind him to zip the cooler bag. An encouraging note slipped into one of the boxes also cheers him up through the day.
Zip Lock bags and small containers are really useful for keeping foods separate. Freezing half a bottle of drink and topping it up in the morning keeps the drink cold, as well as keeping everything else cool for a good few hours or so. Wrapping the drink bottle in heavy duty aluminium foil, shiny side up, keeps cold and frozen foods and drinks cooler for longer.