Creative Junction Magazine February 2017 | Page 9

baking, carrots, cucumber, celery and popcorn. These are all foods which are good for our kids and are eaten by them too. Also, these are things for us that aren’t too expensive, and we usually have them in the pantry every week.

If you could make the ultimate kids lunchbox what would you put in it?

I actually wouldn’t go out of my way to do anything too over-the-top, purely because my kids might not eat it. The ultimate lunchbox would contain everything my kids eat – which is what is in the top ten favourite lunch box foods list.

What are your top 5 tips to keeping lunchboxes fun and interesting for kids?

Have a fun looking lunchbox – you don’t have to spend a lot of money on this. Sistema have an amazing range. I wrote a post about this if you want to get some info from there: http://www.happymumhappychild.co.nz/tips-amazing-lunch-box/

How can parents get their children involved with preparing lunch?

I don’t expect my children to help out with the lunches, however some parents do. Ask them what they might like for lunch, or perhaps in the afternoon get your kids to help prepare the lunch box for the next day.

Why should parents diversify from the old Vegemite sandwich and piece fruit lunch and put more variation/effort into their kids lunch?

It’s more widely known now that children need variety in their diet. So many lunch boxes now have different compartments which encourage variety. There’s nothing wrong with a sandwich and a piece of fruit – nothing at all. That’s all my lunch boxes are, except I include a little more than two things. In my experience, simple is best – just try and keep it healthy and remember that your kids need food that helps to keep their energy going for the whole day. Not just for five minutes.

LINKS:

Lunchbox Ideas For Kids

The Ultimate Lunch Box Review

Where To Buy Bento Style Lunchboxes

My Lunchbox Creations

The Ultimate Guide To Filling Your Kids Lunches

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Having a fun looking lunch box is great, but I know it’s not always possible. Especially if your budget doesn’t allow for it. Ensuring there are a variety of healthy-ish foods in a lunch box, to help your child get through the day, is key. Balance is key.

Also, we all know that kids can be fussy! So we have to work with what we’ve got right?!