Helping Parents to SWAP IT

There are many factors that may influence why parents pack certain foods and drinks in the lunchbox, for example child preferences, time and cost. SWAP IT can help parents make the switch from sometimes foods to everyday foods.

There are additional resources for Aboriginal children and parents/carers, see the link here.

A healthy lunchbox is made up of everyday foods:

Top Tips for the Lunchbox:

Chop extra vegetables while preparing the evening meal. Portion into zip lock bags or plastic containers ready for the lunchbox.

Swap a pre-packaged cheese and biscuit snack for wholegrain crackers and reduced fat cheese portioned from larger packs and save a bundle.

Keep the lunchbox colourful and try our rainbow vegetable kebabs.

Make a batch of everyday snacks on the weekend such as zucchini slice or fruit scones and pop them straight from the freezer into the lunchbox in the morning.

Using leftovers from the night before is a great way to reduce costs.

This month's feature recipe:

 

Healthy Tastes Good

Project Partners

SWAP IT was developed by NSW Health and the University of Newcastle in collaboration with our partners and stakeholders – including Health and Education, schools (teachers, principals), multicultural and Aboriginal Health, industry partner Audiri and parents. Implementation and scale up support provided by NSW LHDs and the following partner organisations as part of externally funded scale-up trials:

Whilst brands may be depicted in these images and videos, SWAP IT and Good For Kids has no affiliation and do not endorse any specific food brand. We do not warrant that the information we provide will meet individual health, nutritional or medical requirements, or individual school policy.

Artwork: "The heart of a child" by Lara Went, Worimi Artist.