Nutrition

How to pack the perfect school lunch

28 April, 2017 . 0

Making your child’s lunchbox shouldn’t be a time consuming task, as one father proves a healthy lunch can be packed in just 7.5 minutes.

George Georgievski is a man on a lunch box mission.

The father of two is transforming the school lunch box, all while educating parents and promoting healthy eating habits.

“Most parents have demanding workloads, so the last thing they want to see is something intimidating that looks too difficult and time-consuming to recreate,” George says.

“The lunches I put together are realistic and simple to prepare. In fact, I’ve mastered the art of lunch-making down to an impressive 7½ minutes.”

Encouraging fathers to help in the kitchen

George’s interest in school lunches arose after his wife asked him to help out with the onerous job.

“I decided to make a conscious effort to improve my kids’ diets, but I didn’t anticipate the ripple effect it would have on their alertness and performance at school. They’re so much more switched on because they no longer get the 3 o’clock sugar crash,” he says.

The 41-year-old, who runs a tiling business, hopes having fathers helping out in the kitchen will become standard practice.

“Some fathers half-jokingly comment that I’m making them look bad but, if I’m honest, us dads should be lifting our weight and playing an equal role in raising our children,” he says.

George features his lunch box ideas on his Instagram page @schoollunchbox, using it as a tool to teach parents and kids alike about different cultures and cuisines.

Spreading the healthy lunchbox message

But his ambitions extend beyond posting lunch box inspo. After the success of his Instagram page, George started hosting lunch box demonstrations in his hometown of Geelong and this year hopes to branch out and tour across Victoria, and eventually the country.

For me it’s all about spreading the message that healthy lunch boxes are a very achievable concept and something parents shouldn’t feel intimidated by,” he says.

The lunches I put together are realistic and simple to prepare. In fact, I’ve mastered the art of lunch-making down to an impressive 7½ minutes.

George also wants his message to resonate with single mothers.

“Single mothers are my biggest priority because they simply don’t get enough assistance. My goal is to develop an improved support network for them.”

Money raised from his lunch box demonstrations are donated to Geelong Mums, a charity group run by volunteers to donate new and recycled baby goods for mothers in need.

“The way I see it, if we can help mothers who in turn help vulnerable mothers, we’re setting off a chain of good deeds that help parents get back on their feet,” he says.

George has launched a website to support his lunch box project.

“It’s just a great resource tool for anyone, from lunch box enthusiasts to parents making their first step towards healthier diets,” he says.

For more information, see schoollunchbox.com.au