I think just know your child and what they like. Pack lunches that you know they will eat.

Yes takes me over a hour to do all the lunchboxes. Since one of our kids has kleptomania, all our cupboards fridge and freezer is locked, (and I’m afraid that even all bedrooms are locked) meaning nobody has free access.

My best advice is to let your children make up their own lunch boxes – they are amazingly creative but still stick to the schools guidelines and the best thing is – no food in the lunch box when they come back home as they have eaten it all.

Fresh Berries, Tortilla Chips With A Healthy Dip – Guacamole, Salsa etc,. Hard Boiled Eggs sliced with a pasta salad or garden salad. Cheese cubes & crackers, fruit cups, Baby carrots, cucumbers, grape tomatoes and cream cheese dip. Veggie wraps, pita bread with Hummus. Popcorn, cookies, roll-ups.

Savoury pikelets (add parsley, cheese and spring onion in the mix)
Biscuits and cheese
Dips and veggies
Sushi
Left over pasta
Roast pumpkin and sweet potato pieces
Pizza slices (homemade)
Little rissoles made with potato or rice and chopped vegetables
I make lunches the night before. That way I avoid the morning rush

Once a week I get the end of the day bargain sushi from the local shopping centre to save having to make sandwiches for one day a week. Easy snacks like berries and fruit and bars like Uncle Tobys muesli Bars – I noticed they have bonus points for oooshies at Woolies at the moment so added bonus of extra ooshies lol!

Add croissants and Kids always it that.

I agree it does take time to make the lunchboxes. One of my kids has severe kleptomania which has caused us to lock all cupboards fridge and freezer, so it’s really me who has to do the 5 lunchboxes. When I make the time I don’t mind though. I try to vary and make a different lunch every day, which makes it actually more fun.

I love making my kids either vegemite and cheese scrolls or pizza scrolls in the air fryer. They absolutely love them, they are super easy to make and very cheap. Also, I often will make a variety of mini sausage rolls – chicken and hidden veggies, and beef mince with some garlic and cheese are the favourites. If my husband is around he will often also devour them before the kids get to them.
Another go to option is mini quiches. so easy, versatile and cheap to make.

Get your kids to make their own … you will be amazed at how good they are at assembling their own lunches and astounded at how much more free time you have and you set them up for life with real life skills!!!

Sometimes I cook zucchini slices or muffins and I fill the freezer. That way it’s easy to just take out one the night before, add some cherry tomatoes and it’s done.

Prep in the afternoon. Always will save some time

oat slices that you can also put in some grated carrot or sweeter kind of veg, and chia or seeds to increase the nutritional level of them and keep kids feeling fuller for longer.

My kids love carrot and celery sticks with Hommus and also they’re big on Wraps to change things up from Sandwiches

Museli bars are great, and so is crackers and cheese, mixed fruit and nuts (if you’re allowed nuts), mini muffins (savory and sweet).

I think is variation is important and I also like the lunchbox food to be a bit healthy. I just try put add something from every food group; fruit, veggie, grain, protein and diary (or diary substitute)

I premake some things so that everything is easier in the morning. All I have to do in the morning is usually the sandwhich – if the sandwhich is more than just a spread, I prep that too. Like ham and cheese, i’ll cut it the night before. Twiggy sticks are packaged for the week. Fruit that can be packaged is packaged (like berries, cut up oranges or kiwi).

My best advice is to make them the evening before. I never have time for them in the morning!