Nutritionist: How to create the perfect school lunch box

Susie Burrell shared a snap of a lunch box she had prepared for her son. Photo / Instagram

The days of easy shared lunches are officially over, about to be replaced with the dreaded school lunch box fare that, in an ideal world, is healthy and actually appealing to your child.

While some parents enjoy spending hours creating intricate bento box-style lunches, others may be on the hunt for that fail-proof guide to see them through the school year.

And Australian Nutritionist Susie Burrell has created just that, sharing a snap on Instagram of her son's lunch box deemed kid friendly as well as nutritious.

"Remember the formula - a wholegrain wrap/sandwich/salad, veggies, a protein rich snack and water to drink," she captioned the post.

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It’s school lunchbox time.....remember the formula 1) wholegrain wrap 2) fruit 3) veggies 4) protein rich snack & water to drink. The snack I have included here is Messy Monkeys from @freedomfoods which contain just 80cal & have a wholegrain base plus the kids will eat them #nutrition #nutritionist #diet #dietitian #lunchboxes #kidsnutritionist #kidsnutrition #backtoschool

A post shared by Susie Burrell (@susiediet) on Jan 23, 2018 at 1:41pm PST

The lunch included whole grain cheese crackers, grapes, strawberries, raw veggie sticks, turkey meatballs and a wrap.

Taking to her blog, Burrell confessed creating a healthy and appealing meal for children is no easy task, but that it is essential for their growth.

"Considering though that growing children do consume up to 30 per cent of their total calories while they are at school, what we pack them each day is important," she wrote.

"Try to also include a protein rich filling such as ham, tuna, chicken breast or egg on sandwiches as the protein helps to keep kids full throughout the afternoon,' she added.

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For all the parents out there, it is almost that time again! School lunchbox time! When choosing your wraps (which most kids ❤️), keep in mind that Helga’s Mixed Grain and Traditional White wraps contain 40% less sodium (salt) than the leading wraps in the market & a much better choice for our kids. Helga’s wraps also come in lower carb varieties so there is something for all the family. Myself I like a breakfast wrap with a coffee but they are great with lean meat and cheese as a protein rich option for school lunchboxes. #nutrition #nutritionist #diet #dietitian #ambassador #mediadietitian #helgas #wraps #schoollunchboxes #lunch

A post shared by Susie Burrell (@susiediet) on Jan 15, 2018 at 6:30pm PST

For parents worried their lunch efforts may end up in the school bin, Burrell recommends negotiating with children to allow them to select a "fun" food to add in.

"If you are worried that your child's lunch box does not contain enough 'fun' foods, consider letting your child choose his/her snacks once each week and negotiate healthy choices for the remainder of the week."

Burrell also conceded too much choice is a bad idea when it comes to school lunches.

"One of the biggest issues in relation to children's lunch box choices is that they have too much choice," she said.

"Limit your child's choice to just one or two food items to avoid starting a never ending negotiation about all the different types of food that you can include in the lunch box."