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According to BBC Good Food, more than half of children take a packed lunch to school – that’s nearly five billion lunches each year! It’s clear that lunchboxes really do impact daily life, though it can be difficult to think up new ideas.

It is particularly difficult if you are a parent to young children. With so much information available, what do you believe? Where do you go to learn what your child truly needs?

With childhood obesity on the rise – in 2014, the Health Survey for England found that 31% of children aged 2 to 15 were classed as overweight or obese – is portion size a part of the problem?

Lunch is an important part of the school day and should provide your child with at least one third of their daily requirements...

Figures show that a third of children under the age of 15 are already overweight, so we’re on a mission to promote health and happiness, early on. We’ve created a dedicated space to provide clear information and help you navigate the often-confusing world of family nutrition.

The initiative

Collaborating with our UK network of family nutrition professionals, Loveable Lunchboxes aims to help you create healthy, but enjoyable lunchtime experiences for you and your children.

We understand that providing your child with a healthy lunch that they will eat (and enjoy eating!) is easier said than done. Our aim is to support and inspire parents, that’s why we have created a selection of resources, dedicated to making mealtimes a more enjoyable journey.

From articles, blogs and infographics to our Rate my Lunchbox feature, we have worked hard to provide you with as much information and support as possible.

Who’s involved?

We are...

In a survey of 1000 parents, we found that 57% are unsure of the Reference Intakes (RI) for children.

When asked what information they would like to see, 61% of parents said Recommended Daily Amounts, nutrition information and guidelines.

“I would find it beneficial if we were provided a recommendation on the nutrition level they need per day to perform well at school. That way I can pack my children’s lunch box better.”

Nutritional therapist and Nutritionist Resource member, Jessica Andersson shares her professional advice on providing a healthy lunchbox for your child.

Children are constantly growing and developing and therefore require good nutrition to help keep them healthy. Focus on trying to develop good eating habits from an early age. Eating the appropriate amounts of food will help your child to...

Making a healthy lunchbox for your child isn’t always easy and it’s even more difficult when they refuse to eat certain foods. We ask Nutritionist Resource member and children’s dietitian, Angharad Banner, to share her thoughts.

As an experienced children’s dietitian, what would you suggest parents could add to their child’s lunchbox as a ‘sweet treat’?

“Variety is key to keep it exciting (as they tend to want chocolate!). Flapjacks, fruit muffins, currant buns or tea cakes, Welsh cakes, plain or fruit-based cakes, scones and pancakes are all good options if eaten in moderation.

Flavoured rice cakes, cereal bars, dried fruit such as raisins, mango or apple are also good choices. You could also try adding a small bag of plain popcorn or dried fruit crisps for a bit of a crunch.”

Many parents will lean towards crisps as the savoury snack portion of the lunchbox, what...

We surveyed 1000 parents with children aged four to 11, asking the question, ‘What do you find most challenging about providing a healthy lunchbox for your child?’

Our results showed that of the 1000 respondents, 426 (43%) said that fussy eating was the most challenging.

As a parent, it can be very difficult to provide your children with the right foods, especially if they refuse to eat anything green! But it is important to remember that most of the time, the problem will not last forever. Children will dislike something one day, but they may like it the following week.

Chelsea, mum of three, shares her experience.

“Basically, I have tried everything to get them to eat different foods. No pudding, offering no alternative – eat or go hungry, rewards for trying new food, separating food on the plate, putting something different on the plate but not mentioning it, giving them something off my plate saying ‘here,...

Lunchtime with children can be tough – especially when school returns. How can you make sure their lunch is healthy and nutritious, but not boring? How can you save time in the mornings? Healthy food can be expensive, what can you do if you’re sticking to a budget?

There are many challenges that come with being a parent, feeding your children can be one of them. As parents, cost and convenience often take the top spot, but ensuring your child is eating healthy food is not always easy.

Read our tips for tackling tantrums, shopping smart and swapping stress for satisfaction.

Keep it fresh

When you find something your child enjoys, it is easy to do the same thing every day to save time and effort. But lunchtime doesn’t need to be boring! There are plenty of lunchbox ideas online that dedicate whole sections to family feeding – set aside time at the weekend to do some research and write...

When in a rush, juggling your morning activities with getting the kids ready for school, breakfast can easily be forgotten. But breakfast (both for your children and you) is a very important part of the day.

Breakfast provides the brain and body with fuel after fasting through the night – you wouldn’t expect your car to run without petrol, so why put your body through the same thing?

Many of us know that breakfast is an opportunity to fuel the body and prepare the mind for the day ahead, but do we know what breakfasts to eat?

A qualified nutrition professional can help you learn more about nutrition and the benefits of eating a balanced breakfast. Head over to our Expert articles to learn more.

We ask Nutritionist Resource members, Susan Hart and Melissa Smith what they believe are the best brain-boosting breakfasts you can feed your children.

Nutritional Therapist,

Most of us know that eating a healthy, balanced diet is very important, but children in particular need to be eating all of the necessary nutrients for growth and development. While we can fall into a routine during term time, when the summer holidays roll round, it can be quite difficult to keep on track.

A healthy diet and regular physical activity helps to stabilise energy levels, sharpen the mind and improve mood – both in and out of school hours. But how can you keep your kids interested in healthy food, as well as entertained over the six weeks of summer?

Learn more about healthy eating for kids and discover new lunchbox ideas on our dedicated fact-sheets.

Preparing the perfect picnic

Just like you, children need to eat a variety of foods in order to get the nutrients essential to their development. We understand that...