Healthy lunchboxes
Looking for information on how to pack a healthy school lunchbox that kids will love? Look no more!
Use the colourful Pick'n'Mix poster, below, or keep scrolling for a list of our favourite websites, resources and videos.
Pick'n'Mix 1-6
For a healthy lunchbox pick & mix something from each food group 1 - 6!
The Department of Health and Human Services' Pick & Mix 1-6 poster provides a range of ideas and practical tips to inspire families to create healthy school lunchboxes
Pick and mix one tasty option from each of the five core food groups to create a healthy lunchbox every day:
- Fruit (e.g. fresh, frozen, pureed and canned in natural juice
- Vegetables, legumes and beans
- Milk, yoghurt, cheese and alternatives
- Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans
- Grain (cereal) foods
- Plain water
Click here to download your free copy of the Pick & Mix 1-6 poster to give away or display.
What goes in a healthy lunchbox? |
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What's for lunch? and Packing a school lunchboxNutrition AustraliaTwo handy fact sheets on packing a nutritious school lunchboxes, plus tips for storing food safely.
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Healthy Lunchbox WeekNutrition AustraliaVisit this website for a wide range of healthy lunchbox tips, videos and recipes. |
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Lunchbox tipsBetter Health ChannelPractical tips for packing a healthy school lunchbox, with helpful advice for parents on food refusal, peer pressure and more.
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Healthy lunchboxesBetter Health ChannelAdvice on what to include in a healthy lunchbox, and tips for food safety.
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Healthy lunchbox snacksHealthy Kids AssociationOffers tips for healthy lunchbox snacks and easy snack ideas.
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Healthy lunchbox builderCancer Council NSWAn fun and interactive website to build a healthy lunchbox by mixing and matching items. Plus recipes and advice on food safety, involving children, and time saving tips.
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Healthy lunchboxes made easyHealthier QLDStuck for ideas for the kids school lunches? Try these combos for inspiration.
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Lunchbox planners |
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Lunchboxes – healthy menu plannerBetter Health ChannelA Monday-to-Friday guide on what to pack for morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack, plus drinks.
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10 great lunchbox ideasHealthy Kids AssociationThis pictorial resource shows 10 different lunchboxes made with foods from the five food groups.
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Healthy lunchbox plannerGenR8 ChangeUse the Pick 'n' Mix sheet to plan your lunches for the week, then fill this out and keep it you on your fridge to make packing healthy lunches easy!
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Video clips |
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Healthy lunchbox combos (video)Décor, Nutrition Australia and Dairy AustraliaMix-and-match something from every food group to create colourful combinations that your kids will love.
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Lunch boxes - healthy shopping ideas (video)Better Health ChannelVictorian State Public Health Nutritionist, Veronica Graham, takes us shopping for the right foods to include in your child's lunchbox.
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Lunchboxes – how to make them healthy (video)Better Health ChannelVictorian State Public Health Nutritionist, Veronica Graham, shares three healthy and delicious lunchbox examples for the kids and provides some great food preparation tips to save you time throughout the week.
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Resources and posters |
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Pick’n’Mix 1-6 (PDF)Healthy Eating Advisory ServicePick and mix a tasty option from each of the five core food groups to create a healthy lunchbox every day.
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Build your own healthy lunchbox (PDF, CALD)DPV HealthA four page resource with useful tips and easy ways to pack a healthy lunchbox. Also available in Arabic and Hindi. |
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Tucker talk tips 4 kids: Healthy lunchbox ideas (PDF)Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO)A simple two-page resource with lunchbox ideas for each of the five food groups.
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Healthy, deadly lunch boxes!: Deadly ideas for a healthy lunch boxVictorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO)A new book filled with lots of healthy, deadly lunch box ideas for Koori families, including healthy eating and oral health tips. |
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Lunchbox checklists (CALD)NSW Multicultural Health CommunicationSimple lunchbox checklists to help children and adults understand which foods make up a healthy lunch box. Available in English, Hindi, Arabic, Spanish, Serbian, Somali, Macedonian, Vietnamese and Traditional Chinese.
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The ABCD of packing healthy lunchboxes (CALD)Western Australia School Canteen AssociationPictorial resources available in Arabic, Burmese, Dari, Dinka, Farsi, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Karen, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Swahili, Tagalog, Thai, Tigrinya, Vietnamese, and English.
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Healthy food and drink choices - tips for parents and carers (CALD)Department of Education, Western AustraliaTranslated info sheets available in Burmese, Dari, Dinka, Hindi, Indonesian, Karen, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Swahili, Tagalog, Thai, Tigrinya, Vietnamese, English, Farsi, and Arabic.
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How to keep food fresh and safe |
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Keep your child’s lunchbox safeHealthy Kids AssociationIncludes practical tips to keep lunchboxes fresh and safe.
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More healthy lunchbox tips |
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Lunchboxes – healthy ideas for school lunchesBetter Health ChannelTasty meal and snack ideas for each of the five core foods groups.
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Legendairy lunchbox ideasDairy AustraliaEvery lunchbox should include dairy options such as milk, yoghurts, cheese (or calcium fortified dairy alternatives) as well as fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and lean protein sources. Here are some easy meal and snack ideas that incorporate the five food groups.
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