We need to take the lead when it comes to choosing what goes into our child's packed lunch.  Schools can help by banning certain foods like crisps and chocolate, but it is a partnership, as parents we need to take control of what we feed our children.  We make the decisions about other important areas in our child's life whether it is suitable bedtimes, homework etc, so why do we let children tell us what they will or won't eat?  This is too important to compromise over, children need to eat good food!

Top tips for good packed lunches

Try to include a variety of fresh, unprocessed (or minimally processed) real food like fresh and dried fruit, vegetables, bread, cheese, yogurt, meat etc

Variety: if you are making sandwiches vary the breads and vary the fillings.  We all get bored if we eat the same food each day and we need to eat a variety of food to make sure that we are getting the right number of nutrients. 

Drink: children need to drink water - if they drink enough water they are more likely to be able to concentrate at school and they are less likely to have problems like headaches.  Fruit juice, smoothies and milk are also good.   

Something sweet: we all know that is nice to have something sweet after the sandwich, but try to choose a cereal bar (without too much added sugar), plain biscuits like digestives or rich tea or better still something homemade like a cookie or a fruit bun.  Ideally encourage your children to help you make something for their packed lunch at the weekend that they can then take to school the following week.

Keep the cost down: You can provide good food without having to spend too much money.  A big bag of local apples can be less expensive that lots of individually wrapped fruit strings and will provide your child with more nutrients. 

Involve your child: Talk to your children about what their friends take in their packed lunches and see which of those healthy options your child may like to try. 

Involve children when you put the packed lunch together - they are more likely to eat it if they know what is inside.  This may mean putting some of it together before they go to bed so that it is not too stressful in the morning rush before school

Prepare packed lunches at the same time as you make the evening meal - this way it is less stressful for you and keeps time spent in the kitchen to a minimum. For example cook extra pasta and then mix some cold pasta with vegetables and left over roast meat to make a pasta salad.  Fill a roll with left over roast meat or wrap up some slices of cold pizza. 

Keep it cool: Freeze cartons of juice and put into the packed lunch to help keep the lunch cool and to give your child a cool drink.  It will have defrosted by lunchtime.  

Cut down on junk. Avoid too many processed foods as they tend to contain few nutrients and too much salt, sugar, additives and saturated fat.  If you do have some processed food in your child's packed lunch also give them foods that are high in potassium such as bananas and dried apricots helps balance the effect of salt in the body

Something warm: Include something hot in a lunchbox, particularly when the weather is cold. A wide-mouthed mini-Thermos flask would be ideal for serving up a delicious cup of homemade or good-quality bought soup that's both warming and nutritious.  Or wrap up a small pasty in foil.  It can make a change to sandwich when the weather is cold.