Getting your kids to help pack a healthy lunchbox is possible - watch the video to see Sonny and Jude pack their own in less than 5 minutes!

Here are a few things I have front of mind when prepping for the school week:

SELF CARE FIRST – through a journey of awareness I have my own self-care at the top of my list.
Mamas and Papas I ask you to consider how you could engage in a little more self-care?
School weeks are hectic and become busier than we would like them and so often I hear of parents skipping breakfast or running out of time to prepare their own lunch because they are busy taking care of everyone else’s needs. We all do it occasionally, but I would like to flag this as the first consideration in the mornings. I have found a ‘morning ritual’ really helps me. For example if its my turn to be up with the kids in the
morning I will make myself a warm cuppa and sit in the sunshine or admire the garden, connect with nature before I make everyone else’s, breakfast lunch and whatever else. If it’s my husbands turn to get up I use the time to meditate or have a sleep in or exercise, whatever my body is needing.

BE PREPARED - Make sure you have healthy food to reach for, have the pantry and fridge stocked with lots of fruit and vegetables. If I’m really organised I cut up vegetables in advance and store in containers in the fridge covered in some water. Our essentials are raw organic vegetables, carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red capsicum.  

ADD PROTEIN - Preservative free organic protein - this can be anything from organic chicken leftovers, nitrate free ham, organic brie cheese, homous

SNACKS - Other snacks to keep it interesting such as pickles, corn chips, occasional packet treat after I have scanned the ingredients (no I’m not perfect and still use the occasional packaged food (gasp), like messsy monkey popcorn, messy monkey apple and mango bars and eat rite brown rice crackers. 

FRUIT - the usuals like apples, pears, watermelon, grapes and banana for crunch and sip

BAKED TREAT - my favourites are Teresa Cutter's oat and choc chip balls, gluten-free Anzac cookies or the healthy mummy nut-free muesli bars (no nuts and heaps of beautiful seeds for good fibre, protein and a range of nutrients)

DELEGATE - Depending on the ages of your children, they might find it quite fun to pack their own lunchboxes. If the veggie sticks are chopped up and the protein at arms reach then they are most likely to eat it if they have prepared it. Choose high nutrient density quick options. I’m also aware this could end in a whole lot of pain, so feel it out, give them a chance to organise their own lunches and see how you go!