Healthy ideas for school lunchboxes
A healthy lunchbox can help fuel your child’s busy school day. If you’re looking for new ideas, we’ve shared simple tips for creating a balanced lunchbox, along with easy recipes that are nutritious, affordable and quick to prepare.
Importance of a varied diet
Eating a healthy diet with plenty of wholegrains, vegetables, fruit and beans can help protect against cancer and support your child’s overall health and wellbeing. It can also help them get the energy and nutrients they need to learn, play and grow.
Aim for at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. A simple way to build a balanced lunchbox is to include foods from different food groups. Think of a healthy plate: around half fruit and vegetables, a quarter protein foods and a quarter starchy carbohydrates.
To create a balanced lunchbox your child will enjoy, try choosing one item from each food group below:
Protein
- Beans, chickpeas, lentils and tofu
- Houmous
- Cheese
- Yoghurt
- Hard-boiled egg
- Fish like tuna, mackerel and salmon
- Chicken and turkey (avoid processed meat such as ham and bacon)
Our expert Kendra Chow, who is a registered dietitian and works in World Cancer Research Fund’s Policy team, says:
“When choosing yoghurt, high protein, low sugar options such as plain yoghurt are best – beware the sugar content of yoghurts marketed at children.”
Starchy carbohydrates and wholegrains
- Wholemeal bread (including roti, chapati, wraps, pitta, rolls and more)
- Brown rice and quinoa
- Rice cakes (without added sugar or salt)
- Couscous
- Wholewheat pasta and noodles
- Potatoes
Kendra says:
“Wholemeal, wholegrain and brown options are best as they contain the most fibre.”
Fruit
Fruit can get bruised in a lunchbox so wrap pears, apples, plums or easy peelers in a piece of kitchen roll. Or fill a tupperware pot with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, melon, guava, lychee, passion fruit, pomegranate, tinned fruit.
You can also offer small portions of dried fruit such as raisins, sultanas, apricots, mango or cranberries.
Kendra says:
“Dried fruit has a higher sugar content so children should eat smaller portions and only at mealtimes to protect their teeth from decay. Frozen or tinned fruit and vegetables are also healthy options. Choose ones packed in water or juice (for fruit) and not syrup, and have no added salt (for vegetables).”
Vegetables
- Cucumber
- Carrot
- Bell peppers
- Sweetcorn
- Sugar snap peas
- Coleslaw
- Tomatoes
- Lettuce
- Celery
Kendra says:
“Pair vegetables with protein options such as a houmous or yoghurt-based dip for extra flavour.”
Recipe ideas to try
🧆 Fantastic falafels
Packed with protein and fibre, falafels make a delicious and filling lunchbox option. Serve with pitta, crunchy salad or a homemade tzatziki dip, or add them to wraps and sandwiches for variety.
🧀 Cheesy houmous pitta
Quick to make and packed with flavour, this cheesy houmous pitta is a simple lunchbox favourite that helps keep children satisfied throughout the school day.
🌈 Rainbow tuna pasta pots
Colourful, tasty and perfect for lunchboxes, these pasta pots are easy to customise. Try swapping the tuna for mixed beans, skinless chicken or a boiled egg to keep things interesting.
Snacks for lunchboxes or after school
Many children will look for the snack or treat in their lunchbox before anything else. You can be confident that these energising recipes are made with a minimum amount of sugar so your kids can avoid having an afternoon slump or feeling tired after a sugar rush!
🍇 Fruity oat flapjacks
Our healthy and delicious golden flapjacks are easy to make, they’ll also taste better than any shop-bought processed versions. This recipe is a crowd pleaser for children and you can vary the dried fruits for different flavours and textures (using figs, cranberries or raisins).
Flapjacks include oats which are great for your kids as they release energy slowly, helping to keep them focused at school.
🍎 Apple, date and walnut muffins
Who doesn’t love a muffin? And even better – these tasty ones are healthy too. Made with bran flakes and wholemeal flour which are high in fibre, and fresh fruit to give it a lovely sweetness.
Kendra says:
Remember to be mindful of those with nut allergies and if your kids’ school is nut-free, substitute the nuts with pumpkin seeds which also include healthy fats.
Top tips: prepare ahead and engage the kids
- Get ahead at the weekend
Spend a little time preparing lunchbox foods for the week. Chop fruit and vegetables in advance or prep sandwiches so they’re ready to grab each morning.
2.Use up leftovers
Don’t let leftovers go to waste. Leftover chicken, pasta and vegetables can make great lunchbox fillings and snacks.
3. Let your children help
Get children involved in choosing and preparing their lunches. Make a shopping list with them, take them shopping and help them learn about what makes up a healthy lunch.
Eat Move Learn – free resources for children and families
If you can encourage healthy habits in your family from a young age, you’ll support healthy growth and development, and reduce the risk of developing cancer and other health condition later on in life. Our Eat Move Learn resources for families teach children about how to eat healthily and be active in a fun, interactive way – and all our resources are free.
