A huge thanks to my giveaway sponsors this week. You can still enter my other two giveaways this week here and here. I’ve left my favourite giveaway to last: win a school term’s worth of nudie juice. Would be a great head start to term 3!
Sponsored by nudie (S1 post)
I paused at the juice popper aisle in the supermarket, looking for juice to include for a picnic. I stood there for a while, scanning the rows, looking for a product with 100% juice. Like juice-juice; made from fruit and not from concentrate. Juice is one of those things that I’m particular about buying. It just has to be real fruit juice otherwise it doesn’t make sense!
Then there’s nudie juice: I’ve known about the nudie brand for a while – and the kids love it – but it had gone off my radar, I think because the packs of juice (6 pack) are kept in the cold section (at Woolworths). Plus, I didn’t realise the juice can keep in the cupboard for 9 months and so I’m excited about that and want to raise awareness about why nudie juice is great.
nudie juice
Here are some key things I’ve learned about nudie juice:
- It is nothing but 100% fruit juice (NOT from concentrate)
- It has NO added sugar
- It has NO added preservatives, flavours or artificial colours
- It contains 2 serves of fruit in every pack (1 serve can count towards a child’s RDI of fruit according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines)
- It is found in the chilled section at Woolworths (but can also last up to nine months in your cupboard…so it is definitely worth stocking up on!)
- There are 4 delicious flavours to choose from:
- nothing but 2.6* oranges
- nothing but 2.5* apples
- nothing but tropical juice
- nothing but apple & blackcurrant juice
*on average, give or take a few
- Both the apple and orange flavours are made using 100% Australian fruit
More info here.
There’s also a fun learning opportunity for kids here too and nudie have fun colouring in pages children can download and enjoy.
Download here.
In the lunch box
Recently I wrote about our family food values, and one of the things I’ve been working on is making more food from scratch (so I know exactly what has gone into the food) and learning about what is in the packaged food I buy. The quality of some food items (like juice) is more important to me than others.
When it comes to the lunch box, I see it as a great opportunity to pack in nutritious food. I don’t always buy juice for the lunch box; it’s about balance and I like whole fruit too. However, when I do include juice, the kids love it: on sport days or just to mix things up. Plus I find juice is quick and easy for those stages when kids are so busy, and sometimes find it hard to get through everything in the lunch box.I had to include here that my kids think the nudie straws are fantastic! They are fun because they extend. Check it out (click below to play).
Below are some recent lunch boxes I made for my kids. The key to building great lunchboxes is to think about how to utilise food in three sections: Freezer, fridge and pantry. I make as much as I can beforehand and freeze. So for example food items like, zucchini fritters, zucchini slice, quiche, scrolls, muffins, slices and fruit balls can all be made ahead of time and then it’s as easy this on a school morning:
- Freezer: Pull out food items directly from freezer
- Fridge: Include fresh items (like vegetables; can cut up the night before)
- Pantry: Anything extra from pantry (like crackers/juice)
Done. Lunchboxes I’m happy with (and the kids too!).
Zucchini Fritters & Salad
Crackers
Cherry Tomato
kids nudie nothing but tropical juice
Apple Muffin
Avocado
Strawberries
kids nudie nothing but 2.6* oranges
Boiled Egg
Raw Carrot Ball
Carrot Stickskids
nudie nothing but 2.5 appl
Zucchini Fritter & Ham Sandwich
Cheese & Cherry Tomato
Crackers
kids nothing but apple & blackcurrant juice
************************************
Winning. Happy all round.
Giveaway
**Giveaway ended. Congratulation Melissa Virtue**
A huge thanks to nudie, I’m giving away a school term’s supply of kids nudie juice (96 units). All you need to do answer this question in the comments below:
How do you select what you include in your kids’ lunchbox?
Terms & Conditions:
1. You must be an Australian resident and over 18 years old to enter
2. You must provide a valid email address and entries are limited to one per household
3. Giveaway period is from 9:00 am AEST on 27 June 2014 to close at 9:00 pm AEST on 4 July 2014.
4. Prize includes a ‘term’s supply’ of kids nudie juice (96 units)
5. The winner will be contacted by email within 48 hours of the competition closing and announced on this blog post.
6. The winner must contact me via reply email within 72 hours or the prize will be re-drawn.
7. The winner agrees to have their contact details passed on to the appropriate promotion agency or brand representative who will send out/organise the prizes directly.
8. Entries will be judged on merit and creativity.
90 Comments
Marcia Coventry
June 27, 2014 at 9:40 amMy kids are a little older, so it has to be cool and something they can eat walking around, or it comes home. Homemade pizza scrolls, mini quiches and sushi are always a hit.
Veronica Jericho
June 27, 2014 at 10:25 amI like to have a balance of items in the kids’ lunchboxes. I let them choose whether they have salad on their sandwiches or as cut up veggie sticks etc, but they know they have to have fruit and vegetable items every day. To keep things interesting I use suggestions from places such as your site (Be a Fun Mum), Veggie Smugglers, and use Little Mashies Reusable Squeezie Pouches to give them smoothies, and yoghurt with fruit purees. There haven’t been many days of late which haven’t had an empty lunchbox and two thumbs up from the munchkins 🙂
Jasmine Saldez
June 27, 2014 at 10:39 amI try to give them something they love, sandwich, wrap or roll, fruit and veg. We try to keep it balanced.
tracey
June 27, 2014 at 12:08 pmI try to be organised, but it depends on what’s in the fridge & pantry. Fresh fruit is a must (if it gets eaten, that’s a different matter, LOL). Sambo, cheese & bikkies or dinner left overs (pasta is a real hit). I always put in a small treat (muffin or pikelet etc). Most gets eaten
lisa Pham
June 27, 2014 at 2:16 pmBalance is key – ham, cheese and salad sandwich, tub of yogurt, slice of chunky cheese, vegie sticks, handful of sultanas and some tiny teddy bikkies!
Annette Higgins
June 27, 2014 at 2:19 pmUsually pasta and pesto with some fruit and crackers
Cherie Boucher
June 27, 2014 at 3:03 pmvegie sticks, ham and cheese sandwich, yogurt and fruit and a blueberry muffin, plus a juice box to keep them going until home time
Diana
June 27, 2014 at 3:57 pmThis is going to sound bad, but it all really depends on what’s on hand. I play surprise chef, making surprise lunch boxes each and every day lol
DIANA O
June 27, 2014 at 3:58 pmHas to be good for them, a little bit fun too, and goes without saying that it has to be something they like, therefore will eat. So it’s a constantly juggling act here because my kids don’t seem to like the same thing for long periods of time.
megan
June 27, 2014 at 4:38 pmI would select by what is healthy and what is on special. Also ask what they would like
laura powers
June 27, 2014 at 7:02 pmI try to vary the lunches over the week and try to give them a bit of choice each day so they never quite know what to expect. It’s always healthy nothing pre-packaged as I find it is also cheaper as well as being nice and healthy.
Jenny B
June 27, 2014 at 8:58 pmI have two little munchkins who have different likes and dislikes – Miss S is happy with pretty much anything (except carrot sticks) , Miss A is a fussy (and slow slow eater) she likes small amounts of only certain foods. Our School promotes crunch and sip – so all children must have either veggie snacks or fruit sent in their lunchbox every day – and they all stop mid morning and eat their healthy choices together. I also pack a small half sandwich with their favourite filling, a cheese stick and plain crackers or plain home popped popcorn. I do however pack a small treat each day and sometimes pop a note in telling them I love them or a funny picture – just to make them smile 🙂
karina l
June 27, 2014 at 9:59 pmI try to keep their lunch boxes interesting, colourful and healthy!
Shannon Finn
June 27, 2014 at 10:18 pmHomemade quiche full of grated veggies sometimes or wraps. I bake a lot so there is always something yummy like a bran and sultana muffin.
Melinda
June 27, 2014 at 10:26 pmI try and choose just anything that they will eat.
The two fussy kids in this house drive me nuts with the lunches. Sometimes they come home with just one bite taken from a sandwich. Dries me Crazy!
Louise Harry
June 27, 2014 at 11:12 pmI feel fortunate in our house as both my kids LOVE fruit (both fresh and dried) and veggies, so it’s easy to put in a couple of fresh fruit items, maybe some dried fruit, plus a healthy sandwich and home-baked “treat”, like a mini lemon & chia seed muffin.
Sandy Tito
June 28, 2014 at 3:07 amI like to find things which interest my child, whilst trying to keep it nutritous and varied
Nicole Grant
June 28, 2014 at 7:31 amI try to choose something from each of the food groups. We also have a nude food policy, so I try to adhere to that as best as I can. The exception is always a popper, so I would love this healthier Nudie alternative.
Karen Edwards
June 28, 2014 at 9:28 amThis past week we’ve been trying left overs in the Kmart $8 food thermos its been great keeps the food nice and warm, on the menu this week has been spaghetti Bol, rice with grated carrot, fried rice loaded with veggies YUM!! Its coming home empty so a big thumbs up here..
Debra Stanley
June 28, 2014 at 9:43 amMy daughter has Cystic Fibrosis and is very tactile and needs high fat high calorie foods
Juice is one of the things she sometimes will have It gives her the nutrients she needs from the “fruit” section
Sometimes all she “eats” is her juice and her special nutritional drink We put a variety of food in her lunch box but mostly it comes home uneaten
Christie - Childhood 101
June 28, 2014 at 12:39 pmI aim for a serve of carbs, a serve of protein, a serve of dairy, at least one serve of fruit and at least one serve of vegetables, to be eaten over recess and lunch. Not that my six year old will necessarily eat it all! I also like to include a little bit of love in her lunch box each day – a little note, a bananagram, or her sandwich or fruit or vegie shaped with cookie cutters, takes just a moment and keeps it fun 🙂
Mary Preston
June 28, 2014 at 1:24 pmThe selection is a team effort. That way everyone is happy. I do go for food that travels well, is nutritious and that I know they will eat.
Pauline Stewart
June 28, 2014 at 5:04 pmIt has to be something that they will eat, that will provide them with the proper energy they need to be able to get through the day & be able to concentrate
Dionne
June 28, 2014 at 7:30 pmMy kids are pretty easy to please. They always have a sandwich or salad, then 2 serves of fruit, yogurt, crackers and a snack which is homemade. I usually pack the same in my lunchbox on the days that I am working at school too!
Kasey Evans
June 28, 2014 at 8:27 pmI always make sure that they have the same amount of sweet with savoury.
April Jane
June 29, 2014 at 10:12 amI like to pack their lunch boxes full of natural brain boosting and pick-me ups as school can be draining on young brains, i keep them interested with healthy alternatives and things they like 🙂
Rebecca Lines
June 29, 2014 at 2:23 pmSomething that they will eat! Anything they will eat! My daughter is great because she is a big fruit eater so I can fill her lunchbox up with fruit extras if I think her lunchbox is a little low. My son is a bit trickier although I am finding he likes leftovers from dinner the night before 🙂
Heather Hopley
June 29, 2014 at 5:44 pmFoods must be good nutrition; something I know they will actually eat (and not trade or bin!); won’t spoil for at least 4 hours; and looks good enough to eat! oh… and doesn’t stink the lunch box out, like eggs, which is a huge turnoff for kids!
Leah
June 29, 2014 at 5:55 pmI make lunches the night before, usually after 10pm as I’m out of the house before my kids each day. I try to pack a nutritionally awesome lunch, but sometimes I feel guilty about leaving so also include a chocolate or a small pack of crisps.
I choose what is easy, what I know they will eat and what won’t necessarily rot their teeth. I like carbs for energy, fruit and veg because they’re yummy and a little protein.
Twice a week I source japanese bento boxes and just add juice; on Tuesdays I rely on a lunch order. I’ve sourced lunch boxes with two compartments.
At the end iof the day, I’m all about healthy convenience, Quick but yummy. Quick and healthy.
Bernice
June 29, 2014 at 6:48 pmMy rule of thumb is something sweet, something savoury and something fresh in the morning tea and the lunch box! Fruit is always a staple as the fresh component for us.
Narelle Rock
June 29, 2014 at 9:19 pmI like to put a selection of multiple small treats, yoghurt, sultanas, marshmallows and cut up vegetables, mix and match for different selections each day.
Amelia
June 29, 2014 at 11:25 pmSomething healthy, something fun, delicious and filling. But sometimes, its a ham and pickle sandwich, an apple, a mandarin and some cheese and biscuits.
hamir
June 29, 2014 at 11:38 pmFor me the lunch items should be healthy & cover all the important food groups. For my kids the lunch items should be attractive and fun to eat. So i choose to make sandwiches fun by using cookie cutters, Use skewers for serving fruits and vegetables cut up in different shapes. Sometime i write a cute lunch note along with a piece of fruit.
Its all about balance for me and i strongly believe whatever goes in lunchbox should have some nutritive value for kids so that they can stay active and alert in school.
Col Harper
June 30, 2014 at 8:40 amThere are 2 things i try and keep in mind when deciding what is to go in the lunchbox. Firstly, to appease me there has to be a healthy components. I don’t want my kids growing up only eating healthy food. They need to learn that food that isn’t necessarily healthy isn’t a bad thing in moderation. Secondly, it has to be fun. After all, this is a childs lunchbox. If it goes to school looking all boring, it’s likely to come home without much eaten.
Jennifer Gray
June 30, 2014 at 12:39 pmWhatever is in the house – but I always have at least one serving of fruit. I try to include as many non-processed food as possible. Frozen squeeze yoghurts are good also.
Desiree Swayn
June 30, 2014 at 3:41 pmMy son’s daily medication suppresses his appetite and he forgets to eat so I have to make sure the food is healthy and inviting or he’d only eat the junk food in his lunchbox.
Sarah Doubleday
June 30, 2014 at 3:45 pmI try to keep things homemade or as natural as possible. Cutting fruit and vege into fun shapes and a dip is always a hit with my boys. I also try to include as many colours from the rainbow as possible 🙂
Danielle Jones
June 30, 2014 at 3:48 pmI try to choose foods without numbers or any ingredients I can’t pronounce. I start with two fruits, add a baked item and some yoghurt and finish with a sandwich or tuna and corn thins or even left-overs from dinner. Maybe some will think I’m a mean Mum but if lunch comes home it gets eaten for afternoon tea. We can’t afford to waste good food. I bought a lunch bag which keeps everything cold for 8 hours so it’s very edible at the end of the day.
Toni
June 30, 2014 at 4:03 pmMy daughter loves variety with her food so I try & give her a wide range of foods & flavours. She’s a healthy little eater & will choose fruit over chocolate so I like to pack her lunchbox full of seasonal fruit too! And she welcomes little surprises like homemade muffins, cupcakes & tasty treats!
Melissa Bernard
June 30, 2014 at 4:05 pmIt has to be healthy! My boy is fairly easy because he loves healthy food and is happy to eat the same thing for a few days in a row. His typical lunchbox includes apple, wholegrain fruit bar, cheese stick, promite things (lavish bread smothered with promite with shredded cheese over the top, cooked in the oven for 5 minutes and cut into squares – YUM!), a popper, carrot sticks, grapes and a sandwich.
Alice
June 30, 2014 at 4:19 pmBleary eyed and yawning,
There’s lunches to be done,
Searching in the pantry,
For something yum & fun!
Cruskits are a favorite,
And jelly is a winner,
Cut up cheese & craisins please,
Or cold boiled rice from dinner!
Helen
June 30, 2014 at 4:28 pmI like to give a good variety of food for her to choose from. I like them to be healthy and home cooked as much as possible. Then my child helps by picking from options what finally goes in there.
Georgina
June 30, 2014 at 4:29 pmWith a little angst, always hoping it doesn’t come back!! But I use variety and whole foods as the keys – and try to add a dash of fun here and there. I like to include a wrap/sandwich/crispbread, a piece of fruit or veggie sticks, cheese or yoghurt and a ‘treat’ of some description (generally a home baked/made goodie of some description). I also like to use cookie cutters and other little tricks to make the food more appealing to the eye. And I find that asking for input helps – empowering the kids to make choices between parent-directed options gives them the feeling they have requested the contents of their lunchbox. And hopefully leads to more if it being eaten 😉
Pip
June 30, 2014 at 4:38 pmIt’s my first year of school lunches
And what to include consumes me!
Fruit that packs the punches,
Preservative and additive free.
Variety and balance each day,
With food she is pretty picky.
Mixing up the favourites a different way,
Don’t include anything sticky!
A nudie juice as a staple,
Different flavours add the fun!
Weekends for pancakes and maple,
Oh the trials of a mum!!
Amanda
June 30, 2014 at 4:40 pmI have 5 kids so lunch box time can be hard and expensive if you let it be. We try for sandwich or wrap or something similar, a treat depending if there is something on special or I have had a chance to bake. Some fruit and some sort of protein. I have stayed away from the poppers of late as they just seem to be so sweet. I didn’t realise Nudie did popper range, that is awesome. But not sure I could keep up with the expense with my 5, lol. I love Nudie tho, cloudy apple is yum
Meg O'Shea
June 30, 2014 at 4:41 pmWe’ve had a lot more fun with lunchboxes since going additive and preservative free for asthma/behaviour reasons. My daughter loves spending Sundays baking and while waiting for her masterpieces to cook we do up a weekly box of what will be her lunch items for the week. She enjoys having the ownership of what she is putting into her body and I have found if she chooses it it generally gets eaten! Some of our ‘musts’ in the lunchbox is whatever she just baked, nudie juice and a cheese sandwich – everything else changes weekly usually. A little handwritten note or picture usually makes it in there too 😉
Julie heffernan
June 30, 2014 at 4:47 pmI always pack the kiddies school lunch as if a teacher is going to check it. That way, the kids always eat healthy and the teacher thinks i pack a great lunchbox. Win win !
Kim Lally
June 30, 2014 at 4:49 pmI try and include homemade goodies as much as possible, rather than pre-packaged snacks (although some weeks we don’t always get there) and foods that will give my 10 yr old girl lots of energy to get her through her day (tuna & cheese or ham & salad sandwich, muffins, fruit, cherry tomatoes & cheese/or carrot and celery sticks and some philly cheese dip.
Kate temple-smith
June 30, 2014 at 6:01 pmMy little girl is a bit younger but always try to include something dairy, a piece of fruit, something baked, meat and carbs, vegie & savoury muffins are helpful
Rachael brooking
June 30, 2014 at 6:34 pmI try go give a balanced lunch Monday – Thursday and Friday is treat day so my little girl always looks forward to Fridays to see what special treat she has earns for eating her healthy lunches!