LUNCHBOX PLANNER
Here are some ideas to try. Swap these for your own combinations from the “Eatwell Plate” food groups.
MONDAY
• Cheese & tomato
pizza
• Mixed bean salad
• Seedless grapes,
washed
• Bottle of water
TUESDAY
• Spicy chicken &
salad wrap
• Fromage frais
• Banana
• Orange juice
WEDNESDAY
• Vegetable couscous
(add peppers,
red kidney beans,
onion & courgette)
• Tinned pineapple
chunks with
yogurt dip
• Semi-skimmed milk
THURSDAY
•
•
•
•
•
Egg sandwich
Cherry tomatoes
Custard pot
Dried apricots
Apple juice
FRIDAY
• Tuna & sweetcorn
pasta salad
• Yogurt
• Kiwi
• Bottle of water
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The Nutrition Team
Short on time? Have you thought about choosing school lunches? They are a great way for kids to try a wide variety of
healthy well balanced meals and are great value for money, so why not give them a go! www.myschoollunch.co.uk/nottingham
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
Ideas for choosing a
balanced packed lunch
• Chicken & mixed
vegetable rice salad
• Crackers & cheese
cubes
• Satsuma
• Apple juice
• Hummus & pitta
bread
• Carrot sticks
• Fruit pot
• Plain biscuit
• Semi-skimmed milk
•
•
•
•
Ham salad roll
Rice pudding pot
Box of raisins
Orange juice
For more ideas go to www.nhs.uk/Change4Life/Pages/change-for-life.aspx
• Cheese & tomato
pasta salad
• Malt loaf
• Melon slices
• Bottle of water
• Wholemeal sandwich
with tinned sardines
• Cucumber sticks
• Yogurt
• Small fruit scone
• Fruit smoothie
© Nottingham CityCare Partnership 1st edition published July 2012. Review date July 2013
Health at the heart of the city
Aim to include one portion of fruit and one
Include a drink with the packed lunch.
Always include something from this group
portion of vegetables in the lunch box.
Benefits: The body needs fluid to keep it hydrated.
in the lunch box.
Benefits: Fruit and vegetables are full of
This helps children concentrate and helps to prevent headaches.
Benefits: an excellent source of energy,
vitamins, minerals and fibre, essential for health.
• The best choice is water or milk
vitamins and minerals. Wholemeal and
• Whole/pieces of fresh fruit
• Other alternatives are fruit juice or smoothies
• Fruit in natural juice
• Look for drinks with no added sugar
• Dried fruit e.g. raisins, apricots, dates
• Vegetables such as sweetcorn, peppers or peas
• Dilute pure fruit juice with water (half and half)
wholegrain varieties are a good source
of fibre for a healthy digestive system.
• High fibre white/granary/seeded bread,
bread rolls, cobs, soda bread
• Crackers, crispbread, oatcakes,
added to pasta, rice, noodles or couscous
• Lettuce, tomato or cucumber added to rolls,
rice cakes, breadsticks
• Chapatis, roti, tortilla wraps
sandwiches and pitta
• Vegetable sticks e.g. carrots, peppers or cucumber
• Pasta, rice, couscous, noodles
• Cherry tomatoes
• Bagels and pitta
To keep food cold you
Make sure packed
could try using a cool
lunches are stored in
bag/pack or include frozen
a cool, dry place to
water, juice or even milk to
prevent the growth
keep food chilled.
of harmful bacteria.
Always include something from this group
Including a portion of food from this group
in the lunch box.
will help to achieve daily calcium needs.
Benefits: a good source of protein is needed
Benefits: A good source of calcium for
for healthy growth.
healthy bones and teeth and also a good
• Meat e.g. ham, beef, chicken, pork, turkey,
source of protein.
grilled sausage
• Fish such as tuna, sardines, salmon, mackerel,
pilchards
• Beans and pulses e.g. chickpeas, red kidney beans,
hummus, mixed beans
• Vegetarian meat alternatives e.g. Quorn,
tofu or soya products
• Hard boiled eggs
• Slices or cubes of cheese, cheese triangles,
© Department of Health in Association with the Welsh
Government, the Scottish Government and the Food
Standards Agency in Northern Ireland.
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Tr y bags of o pro vide the sweetnes
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Cho ose teaca ive to cakes an d chocola
at
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Car rot an d c mus dip are tasty sidem
yogurt or hu
soft cheese
• Milk - semi-skimmed is a good choice
• Fromage frais and yogurts
Choose low fat varieties