Lunchbox should contain :

• a source of protein to keep your kids alert throughout their day;
• a complex carbohydrate, releases energy slowly;
• calcium for growth, healthy bones & teeth;
• a fruit & vegetable for vitamins & minerals &
• an occassional sweet treat.

Some schools do not allow kids to bring chocolate bars to school. Replace with cereal bars or granola bars. WARNING: Check ingredients in items purchased and recipes used that may contain nuts. Some schools don't allow these products due to allergy concerns.

Here's how:

Make a chart of their favourite fruits, vegetables, sandwich fillings, snacks.
Get a white board and put it on your fridge, encourage them to use the chart and update it regularly.

A lunchbox should be nutritious, varied & not to mention, tasty.

• Change the bread you use, use a piece of brown on top & a piece of white below;
• Tantalise their taste buds, choose foods different in colour, texture, shapes and contrasting so that they are more stimulated and the lunchbox is more appetising;
• Make eating fruit fun, most kids want maximum time on the playground, peel the fruit for them, place in a plastic bag to maintain freshness, make a fruit kebab, with all their favourites on it.
• Change this on a daily basis & they will be looking forward to the taste bud adventure that awaits;
• Be experimental but test these experiments before you send the unknown in the lunch box.

There are no rules, be playful & have fun.

• Make a chess board, cut their zarms into smaller squares, alternating when packing the squares brown bread side up, white bread side up etc;
• Cut the sandwich into different shapes using a cookie cutter;
• Pamper them once in a while, add in their favourite snack, or put a sticker in / on their lunch box, add a picture of their favourite pet with a note from their pet;
• Decorate their lunchbox with their favourite cartoon character, theme their lunchbox by colour or by culture (country of origin - could become educational eating), pack in fun napkins, cut the zarms into novelty shapes;
• Add a joke, gold star, a good luck note in (note should be big enough so they can spot it in the lunch box but small enough to be discrete so other kids won't laugh at or pick on them).
• Make your own snack mix made of dried fruit (raisins, dried apricots), raw almonds or other nuts, sunflower seeds, mini pretzel rings or sticks, popcorn, etc.
• Make your own spice to go with your home made snack mix using sea salt (the healthier option, your choice of favourite dried herbs, mix them in a pestle & mortar and sprinkle over your snack mix.

Give them the license to learn and to participate.

• Easy to open containers for kids can create independence & self confidence;
• Let the kids participate, ask their opinion, let them choose within the available options, allow them to pack their own lunch boxes (saves you time after all), they are more likely to to eat their own creations;
• Do the preparation the night before (depending on whether you have enough energy), this will give you some quality time with your kids, getting to know them (likes - dislikes), this will also save you some time in the morning for those 'unplanned' emergencies;
• Cut the sandwich into different shapes using a cookie cutter;
• Get the kids involved on the weekend, making things like muffins, cookies, bread etc. - items which they will be able to take to school the following week.

Soggy sandwiches, warm fruit & vegetables - a guaranteed way of getting a full lunchbox brought back home! Here are some tricks that might help:

• Freeze the water bottle and place in the lunchbox, keeps food fresh & cool & provides a refreshing cold bottle of water;
• If any sandwich filling ingredients are wet i.e. tomato or pineapple, pat them dry before putting them on the sandwich, alternatively, leave them off and pack them separately to be added when the sandwich is ready to be eaten;
• Ensure salads are crisp & delicious, pack the salad dressing separately to be added when ready to eat;
• Freshen veggie sticks by wrapping them in a damp kitchen towel and in a sandwich bag, place this bag next to the frozen water bottle;
• Wrap any strong smelling foods separately i.e. egg, or any food that will make your sandwich soggy, then build your sandwich when they are ready.

Trying to keep the lunchbox healthy and easy too may be quite challenging, here are a few tips & tricks:

• Cut down on the salt intake, eating foods rich in potassium help balance the effect salt has on the body (eg. Bananas, dried apricots, potatoes with skins, artichokes, brazil nuts, salmon, tomatoes, artichokes);
• Cut down on processed, greasy foods, substitute potato chips with grilled veggie chips, healthy & taste great;
• Freeze a homemade smoothie - not only packed with vitamins & minerals but also keeps the lunchbox fresh & cool;
• Add a serving of a each of the food group items;
• Just because the bread is brown does not mean it is whole grain, always check the label;
• For a winter warmer, pack left over home made soup into a thermo flask, include a whole grain bun & a spoon, not only nutritious & warming but delicious too.