When you are trying to eat healthily, boredom can set in for kids as well as adults. Involving your child in the selection of what goes in to their lunch bag is probably the best way to teach them what is healthy, and make sure you are giving them foods that they will actually eat.

Here are some suggestions of healthful foods to put in to their lunch bags:

 1)   Throw a boiled egg in to your kid’s lunch bag. This protein packed snack is fun to shell, (although you’ll need to do that in advance for younger children and put it in plastic wrap) and eat.

2)   Add a bag of sliced bell peppers. Use different colours to make this super healthy snack visually appealing.

3)   Make a pita pizza (Paul Plakas’ favourite treat) by topping a pita bread with tomato paste, veggies and a little cheese, then grill until the cheese melts. Yummy cold the next day for lunch (or eaten straight away!).

4)   A bag of sugar snap peas is a great addition to a lunch bag (or edamame if your kid prefers).

5)   Make your own cold pasta salad by combining noodles with vegetables (cubed frozen veggies microwaved for a minute is a great time saver) and a little dressing. For the more adventurous child, add tuna and black olives for a continental twist.

6)   Carrot sticks and hummus are a great, easy to munch snack that many kids will go for.

7)   Pita bread stuffed with peanut butter and banana gives a sweet punch of protein and potassium, which are both essential for your growing child.

8)   Buy tubes of yoghurt, freeze them, and then by lunchtime your child will have a cool treat.