1. Washable lunch bag (preferably insulated) or leak-proof lunch kit with compartments (or containers for different foods) Practice opening the lunch kit and container before school starts!

2. Ice packs

3. Thermos (optional)

4. Cutlery

5. Your list of lunch ideas (and a well-stocked fridge and pantry)

Now… here’s the rule of five!

1) Vegetables – pack at least one

• Raw veggies, cut up

• Leafy greens, eg. salad

• Frozen veggies, eg. peas

• Cooked vegetables

• Homemade salsa or bruschetta

• Vegetable soup

2) Fruit – pack at least one

• Piece or fresh fruit

• Berries

• Unsweetened canned fruit (canned in water)

• Unsweetened fruit and veggie purées

• Unsweetened dried fruit

3) Protein-rich foods – pack two

• Leftover meat, poultry, fish

• Canned fish

• Eggs

• Milk

• Yogurt or Greek yogurt

• Cottage cheese

• Cheese

• Beans/Lentils

• Seeds or seed butter

• Tofu or tempeh

4) Whole grain or starchy vegetable (include at least one)

• Whole grain bread, tortilla, or pita

• Whole grain crackers

• Whole grain homemade granola bar or oat-based energy bite

• Homemade muffin or loaf made with whole grain flour or oats

• Oatmeal

• Whole grain pancake, waffle, or French toast

• Leftover brown rice, quinoa, barley

• Corn

• Potatoes/sweet potatoes/yams

5) The “just because food” – include one small portion

• Cookie

• Brownie

• Pudding

• Gummies

• Licorice

• Chocolate

It’s important to send the message to kids that all foods can fit, and even if a food doesn’t provide a lot of nutritional value, it can add fun to their lunch and help them to become calmer around these foods in the long run. To help combat diet culture in schools, it’s important to remember that it’s the parent’s job to decide what is packed in the lunch, the child’s job to decide which foods to eat (and in which order) and the teachers’ job to decide when and where the lunch is eaten

Need some ideas? For 12 Dietitian-Approved School Lunch Ideas visit: