Packing a lunchbox for a child starting Prep (the first year of school, called Kindergarten in NSW and the ACT, Pre-primary in WA, Reception in SA and Transition in the NT) can feel like a daily puzzle. What should go in, how much will they actually eat, and what about nuts? Here are healthy lunchbox ideas for Prep and the early school years, based on Australia’s dietary guidelines, plus a week of simple ideas that don’t need a sandwich every day.
What should I pack in a Prep lunchbox?
The Australian Dietary Guidelines ask us to “enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods from these five groups every day”:
- “Plenty of vegetables, including different types and colours, and legumes/beans”
- “Fruit”
- “Grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fibre varieties”
- “Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans”
- “Milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or their alternatives”
The list ends with: “And drink plenty of water.” Victoria’s Better Health Channel turns this into six parts of a healthy lunchbox: fruit, vegetables, milk, yoghurt or cheese, meat or alternatives, grain foods, and a drink, where “tap water is best.”
That doesn’t mean every lunchbox must hold all five groups. As Eat for Health puts it, “It is not necessary to eat from each food group at every meal.” Over a whole day, and a whole week, is what counts.
| Food group | Ideas a 5-year-old can eat |
|---|---|
| Vegetables | Carrot and cucumber sticks, cherry tomatoes cut in half, corn, snow peas, a little container of peas |
| Fruit | A mandarin, a banana, grapes cut in half, apple slices, berries |
| Grain foods | A wholemeal wrap or sandwich, crackers, pasta salad, rice balls, a mini pikelet |
| Protein | Egg, chicken, tuna, tofu, beans or hummus, cheese |
| Dairy | Cheese cubes, a small tub of yoghurt, a milk drink kept cold |
| Drink | A bottle of tap water |
How much food should I pack for school?
Less than you might think, and it will change from day to day. Better Health reminds parents: “It is normal for the amount a child eats to vary from day to day. Let your child decide how much to eat.”
For a sense of the whole day, Eat for Health gives these average daily serves for children aged 4 to 8. School food is only part of it, because breakfast, dinner and snacks at home count too.
| Food group | Boys | Girls |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetables and legumes | 4½ | 4½ |
| Fruit | 1½ | 1½ |
| Grain foods | 4 | 4 |
| Lean meat, fish, eggs, nuts and legumes | 1½ | 1½ |
| Milk, yoghurt, cheese | 2 | 1½ |
Many primary schools have two eating breaks, often called recess (or little lunch) and lunch (or big lunch), but every school sets its own day. Ask your school what the day looks like, then pack in small portions so your child can eat a little at each break. If food keeps coming home, pack less of it rather than more of something else.
A week of simple lunchbox ideas
- Monday: the classic. A wholemeal cheese and lettuce sandwich, carrot sticks, a mandarin and water.
- Tuesday: build-your-own. Crackers, cheese cubes, cucumber rounds and cherry tomatoes, with apple slices.
- Wednesday: leftovers. Pasta salad with corn and peas from last night’s dinner, a small yoghurt and grapes cut in half.
- Thursday: a wrap. A wrap with chicken or tuna and grated carrot, cut into rounds, plus a banana.
- Friday: dips and dippers. Hummus with vegetable sticks and a little wholemeal bread, plus berries.
The best drink for a lunchbox
Water. The NSW Government says “Water is the best drink for kids and tap water has added fluoride to help protect teeth.” Better Health lists sweet drinks, including fruit juices, among the things that don’t belong in a lunchbox. A named drink bottle that your child can open, refill and carry is one of the most useful things to buy for school.
Keeping food cold and safe
Lunchboxes can sit in a school bag for hours. The NSW Government suggests adding “a frozen water bottle or freezer brick to the lunchbox in the morning”. An insulated lunch bag helps too, especially in the warmer terms. Pack food that’s fine at room temperature on very hot days, and keep things like yoghurt, meat and dairy next to the cold brick.
Are nuts allowed in school lunchboxes?
It depends on your school, so always follow its rules. The national best-practice guidelines for schools, from the National Allergy Council, recommend an allergy aware approach: “An allergy aware approach is recommended rather than implementing food bans.” They explain that claiming to be “nut free” can give families and staff “a false sense of security.”
Many schools still ask families not to pack certain foods, and that’s different from a ban: as the same guidelines note, “Having some food restrictions is not the same as ‘banning’ a food.” If your school asks for no nuts, leave out peanut butter and other nut products, and check the labels on packaged snacks. Teach your child not to share food, which keeps classmates with allergies safer.
Some schools also run “nude food” days, where lunchboxes come in reusable containers with no throwaway wrappers. Ask your school what it does.
Lunchbox ideas for fussy eaters
Many young children eat less at school than at home, because there’s so much else going on. A few things help:
- Familiar first. Pack mostly foods your child already likes, with one small new thing on the side.
- Small and finger-sized. Bite-sized pieces are quicker to eat in a short break.
- Let them help. Children who choose between two fruits, or help pack the box, are more likely to eat what’s in it.
- No pressure. If the sandwich comes home, try something different, and don’t make a fuss.
If you’re worried about how much your child eats or how they’re growing, talk to your GP or child health nurse.
Are the guidelines changing?
The current Australian Dietary Guidelines are from 2013, and they are being reviewed. The National Health and Medical Research Council says “It is anticipated draft Dietary Guidelines will be open for public consultation in late 2026.” Until new guidelines are released, the five food groups and water are still the advice to follow.
KidStudy’s Year 1 Health lesson, Healthy Food, helps children sort everyday foods from sometimes foods, and reminds them that water is the best drink. It’s a fun one to try before you pack the lunchbox together.
Questions parents ask
What should I pack in a Prep lunchbox?
A mix of foods from the five food groups over the day: vegetables, fruit, grain foods, protein foods like egg or chicken, and dairy like cheese or yoghurt, plus a bottle of tap water. Not every group has to be in every lunchbox.
How much food should I pack for school?
Small portions for each break, and less than you might expect. How much children eat changes from day to day, so let your child decide how much to eat, and pack less if food keeps coming home.
What is the best drink for a school lunchbox?
Tap water. It’s the best drink for children, and tap water has added fluoride to help protect teeth. Sweet drinks, including fruit juice, don’t belong in the lunchbox.
Are nuts allowed in school lunchboxes?
Follow your school’s rules. National guidelines recommend schools be allergy aware rather than ban foods, but many schools still ask families not to pack nuts. Teach your child not to share food.
What can I pack for a fussy eater?
Mostly familiar foods in small, finger-sized pieces, with one small new thing on the side. Let your child help choose and pack, and keep it low-pressure if food comes home.
How do I keep a school lunchbox cold?
Add a frozen water bottle or freezer brick in the morning and use an insulated lunch bag. Keep yoghurt, meat and dairy next to the cold brick, especially on hot days.
Sources
- Australian Dietary Guidelines 1 to 5, Eat for Health, National Health and Medical Research Council
- The five food groups, Eat for Health
- Recommended number of serves for children, adolescents and toddlers, Eat for Health
- Australian Dietary Guidelines review: frequently asked questions, National Health and Medical Research Council
- Healthy lunchboxes, NSW Government
- Healthy eating: school lunches, Better Health Channel, Victorian Government
- Healthy lunchboxes, Healthy Eating Advisory Service
- Best Practice Guidelines for Anaphylaxis Prevention and Management in Schools, version 3.1, National Allergy Council
- New allergy guidelines for schools and childcare, ASCIA
