Five school lunch boxes under $5 as cost of living crisis bites

A shocking number of Aussie parents have reduced the amount of food in their kids’ lunch boxes while others go hungry due to the cost of living crisis. This is how you can save $1000.

One in 10 Aussie parents have reduced the amount of food in their kids’ lunch boxes due to the cost of living crisis, while a third worry their kids are going hungry at school.

Shockingly, three in 10 kids also told their parents other children had stolen items from their lunch boxes, according to a survey by Heinz.

But research found by cutting out store bought packet foods marketed for schoolkids, parents could save themselves $1000 per child a year.

And if parents adopt the same budget lunch box for themselves – they can save a further $1000 each.

Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics Clare Collins said simple lunches “granny would be proud of” could be made for not much more than $2.

Professor in Nutrition & Dietetics Clare Collins. Supplied

On average parents spent $4.50 a day on their child’s school lunch boxes, according to a study just released by Flinders University.

Prof Collins said there was nothing wrong with going back to basics with a cheese, egg or chicken in a wholemeal, wholegrain or white hi fibre sandwich or wrap and one or two pieces of fruit or veg and a handful of home cooked popcorn. And if a child needed more food than that, then a second sandwich, with Vegemite, was perfectly fine.

“Families love things in packets because of convenience and because they see it as a treat, but if they are committed to saving money they need to avoid all things in packets,” Prof Collins said.

Healthy lunch boxes from Bronwen Greenfield. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“School lunches are about fuelling their brains for school, it’s not a party. They don’t need a treat every day. These foods do not love you back.

“We need to get back to the lunches our grandmother would be proud of.”

Prof Collins said if parents bought packet food, they should ensure that it had at least a 3.5 star health rating.

Research by Mozo, the Money Saving Zone, found parents could save $1000 a year by ditching prepacked snacks marketed for kids’ lunch boxes – such as individual portions of cheese and crackers – and do it themselves.

Accredited Practising Dietitian Bronwen Greenfield, founder of Diet Free Dietitian, made five lunch boxes designed by Prof Collins’ team from the budget meal website No Money, No Time.

Founder of Diet Free Dietitian, Bronwen Greenfield, pictured with Olivia Greenfield (left) and Lennox Allum (right) packing healthy lunches. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

One budget saving hack is to make a big batch of sandwiches, freeze them, and then add any salad on the day it is eaten.

“Making all the sandwiches at once and freezing them means there are no leftovers or wastage,” Ms Greenfield said.

“The kids really loved the carrots and cucumbers and snacks stuff. The popcorn with paprika ticked all the boxes.”

The lunch boxes cost from as little as $2.33 to $3.84.

Lyndon Galea, founder of Eat Up, a charity that provides free packed lunches to children at 768 schools across the country, said there were another 200 schools on the waiting list wanting free food.

Another healthy lunch box idea. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

He said when he started the charity 11 years ago, one in eight children were not getting a proper lunch, but now it was one in five. He said he had seen demand for lunches at schools where the charity was already established increase by up to 22 per cent.

“It’s confronting to see the level of need,” Mr Galea said.

He said that the number of kids seeking lunches went up and down depending on the cycle of welfare payments, showing parents wanted to provide for their children when they had money in their pocket.

TikTok stars, dad and daughter Ben and Zara Tate, from NSW, have 4.5 million followers.

Tik Tok dad and daughter duo, Ben and Zara, have created Bean Appétit, a budget-friendly online cookbook with easy dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The dancing and lip-synching duo are helping to promote the charity and have created a free budget cookbook for kids using baked beans.

Prof Collins said a small can of baked beans can be eaten cold in a lunch box and was cheap and nutritious.

Dietitians Australia Acting Chief Executive Officer Natalie Stapleton said while there was independent research into how big an issue food insecurity was in Australia, the government did not collect its own data.

She said Dietitians Australia was calling for a government national data collection program similar to that of other countries around the world.

“We’re really in the dark when it comes to understanding the severity of household food insecurity in Australia,” Ms Stapleton said.

CLARE’S LUNCH BOX HACKS:

• Pre-make batches of egg, cheese or chicken sandwiches, freeze them and add salad on the day.
• If kids are hungry add a second sandwich, a Vegemite filling is fine
• Wholemeal, wholegrain or white hi fibre bread, wraps or pitta pockets are perfect for lunches
• Go for in season or items on special; an iceberg lettuce has dropped to less than $2.
• Don’t buy packet snacks from the supermarket, make them yourself
• If you do buy any packet food, go for something with at least 3.5 stars
• Avoid juice poppers, which are bad for kids’ teeth, instead freeze a refillable water bottle to help keep the lunch box cold
• Go for generic brands

HOW TO MAKE A BUDGET LUNCH BOX:

Add small frozen bottle water into every lunch box.

Lunch 1

Total cost = $2.33

Curried egg and lettuce sandwich

Mini apple or pear

1/5 punnet (50g) strawberries

1/5 punnet (25g) blueberries

Home-made popcorn

Lunch 2

Total cost = $2.97

Banana wrap

Watermelon cubes

6 cherry tomatoes

Small yoghurt pouch (own brand 4 stars)

Lunch 3

Total cost = $2.39

Cheese and salad sandwich

Baby carrot and baby cucumber

Mini apple or pear

Carrot bliss ball

Lunch 4

Total cost = $3.05

Vegemite sandwich

Small can baked beans (130g, or other bean mix)

Bega Stringer

Salad in a snap lock bag

Home-made popcorn

Lunch 5

Total cost = $3.84

Chicken, avocado and salad sandwich

Mini apple or pear

Chewy bar (4 stars)

Baby carrot and baby cucumber

Source: Clare Collins, nomoneynotime.com.au