EXTRA TIPS & IDEAS

Involve the kids in planning what goes into their lunch box and include a few healthy snack foods.

Try this treat:

PEACH POWER BALLS

Process 150g shredded wheatmeal biscuits with 200g dried peaches and ½ cup desiccated coconut in a food processor until finely chopped. Add 2 tblsps boiling water and 2 tblsps honey. Process until combined. Roll tablespoons of mixture in balls, then roll in extra coconut.

Easy, no-fuss snacks

• Pack bite-sized vegies like Qukes, cherry tomatoes, carrot and celery sticks with a small container of dip.

Cheap lunch-box filler

• Pop a big batch of popcorn and store in an airtight container until ready to eat, a perfect swap for salt-laden chips.

Tips

• Use a freezer brick to keep lunches in tip-top condition.

• Help little hands by wrapping food in easy-to-open bags.

• Wrap soft fruit, such as peaches, apricots or berries, in kitchen paper to prevent bruising.

• Freeze portions of leftover fried rice, then refrigerate overnight before packing so it thaws in time for lunch.

• Hollow out long bread rolls and fill with grated cheese, chopped ham and shredded lettuce.