Pack a nutritious lunchbox

Having a steady supply of healthy snacks and meals for your lunchbox is a great way of keeping on top of your health and wellness goals. Here are a few practical ideas to help you get started!

Lunch on leftovers

Pastas   |   Salads   |    Quiche

Make more dinner than you need so you’re guaranteed to have a ready-made lunch the following day. Pastas, salads and quiche all make easy next day lunches. As well as helping you to stick to health goals, lunching on leftovers is a great way to save money.

Stock up on healthy snacks

Mixed unsalted nuts   |   Popcorn   |   Dried fruit   |   Boiled eggs   |   Bliss balls

For those days when lunch isn’t quite enough, it’s essential to have some healthy snacks on hand. Try packing ziplock bags of mixed unsalted nuts, popcorn and dried fruit to keep in your bag, boiling some eggs to keep in the fridge at work or making Bliss balls on the weekend for the kids to have as lunchbox snacks through the week.

Not only will it reduce the number of visits to the workplace vending machine and school tuckshop, but it may also prevent you and the kids from feeling hungry and filling up on high energy, nutrient empty snacks after work or school.

Quick snack recipes

If you’re looking for some new inspiration, try some of these easy snack ideas:

• Fruit pikelets 
• Veggie sticks with beetroot hummus
• Semi dried tomato cheese muffins
• Mini vegetable frittatas
• Polenta chips with guacamole

Get the balance right

Non-starchy veg   |   Starchy veg   |   Protein

As a general guide, lunch meals should include:

• 2 serves of non-starchy vegetables - like a salad or veggie sticks

• 1 or 2 serves of starchy vegetables or wholegrains - like a medium potato or sweet potato, cooked quinoa or buckwheat, wholegrain bread or grainy crisp breads

• 1 serve of protein – for example nuts and seeds, lentils or cheese.

Keep in mind that serving sizes will change depending on your age and activity levels.