Mums suffering 'lunch box breakdown'

Picky children, few ingredients and early mornings rushing around trying to organise the family before school… when it comes to making up their kids’ lunchboxes, mums certainly don’t have it easy.

And with all those problems, add the pressure of celebrity chefs demanding healthier lunches for kids and the constant threat of health problems such as obesity. It’s not just school dinners that must be healthier – packed lunches must be nutritious too.

New research commissioned by Planet Lunch* shows two thirds of mums feel a great amount of pressure to put healthy food in their child’s lunchbox. Almost half blame their child for being too fussy while one in four say they want less guilt about balancing items their child likes with ones deemed to be healthy.

A similar number say they’ve had to disguise food to get their children to eat it, whether in the form of funny vegetable faces or amazing shapes.

The research reveals the immense stress placed on mums who are trying to make packed lunches healthy, tasty and different enough day after day, with a busy schedule early in the mornings.

“The key to a healthy packed lunch is getting the right balance and choosing a wide variety of foods which will help provide all the nutrients children need to grow and be healthy.” Sue Gatenby, Nutritionist

*Planet Lunch, a range of kids’ lunchbox food and drinks, has been designed with primary school children in mind. The products are made from 100% natural ingredients and are designed to be the perfect size for small discerning tummies. Available in Sainsbury’s.

For more ideas on how to create a wholesome lunch box see planetlunch.co.uk.