With more focus on health and nutrition now than ever before, it can be hard to come up with healthy yet tasty packed lunches for your children.

The NHS recommends trying to hit every key food group when packing a lunchbox, including starch, protein, dairy, fruit and vegetables.

Most children have a sweet tooth, so trying to get them to eat anything green or nutritious can be a task.

You might find it tricky just to get your child to eat a piece of fruit a day, but we have come up with a list of packed lunch ideas that are fast, easy to prepare and that your child won’t turn their nose up at.

Main course

Traditional sandwiches are a lunchbox staple, but it’s easy to get bored of them. Instead, why not try a chicken pasta bake drizzled with melted cheese. Add a leafy salad as a side and you’ve hit four out of five food groups in one go.

Pizza roll-ups are a fun option that incorporate starch and dairy. Add some ham or chicken in and a portion of salad for a side to give your child all the key nutrients they need. For a healthier alternative, swap out the white pizza base for a wholemeal one, or use bread and toast it in the oven instead.

If your child likes salad then chicken and avocado should go down a treat.

Adding diced salad to couscous is both filling and scrumptious, whilst pasta and broccoli coated with pesto is a solid option your child won’t be able to turn down.

Snacks

You were probably raised with crisps or a chocolate bar in your lunchbox, and whilst there is absolutely nothing wrong with a treat every now and again, there are some healthier options that are just as tasty and one hundred times more nutritious.

Create your own fruit sundae by dicing any fruit your child likes and mixing it with yoghurt.

Add some shape to your child’s lunchbox with mini fruit kebabs. Simply slice their favourite fruits, poke a hole in the middle and slide them on to a plastic straw.

By adding banana to a flapjack, your child can still get a portion of fruit without noticing. If your little one has an extra sweet tooth, drizzle the flapjack with peanut butter.

Sweet potato fries are super easy to make and go with almost every meal. They are also great to snack on at break time.

Rice cakes are a safe option for even the fussiest of eaters, but if your child still wants something sweet then add melted chocolate on top for a delicious snack.

Simply mix and match a main meal with two or more snacks to create a healthy and hassle-free lunchbox.

If you try out any of our suggestions or have some of your own that you would like to share, send us a photo on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. We would love to see your creations and spread more inspiration!

Here at ELF, we know it can be hard to get your child to eat healthily. One of the easiest ways to get them to try new things is by growing your own vegetables or fruit. Not only is it a fun activity, children will be delighted to reap the rewards of their hard work and will want to turn their pickings into something tasty for lunch. If you are stuck on where to get started, read our blog post on growing your own vegetables.

Our Outdoor School Planter is perfect for starting your own vegetable patch and getting your child involved in gardening. Read our blog post on Gardening with Kids to find out more about the benefits being green-fingered can have on children, as well as how to get started on a gardening project of your own.

At Early Learning Furniture we are experts in early years’ education resources including classroom furniture, school dining furniture and school play equipment. For more information about our products please contact us or call us on 01733 511121.

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