If you ever prepare paper gift boxes

If you ever prepare paper gift boxes that they really enjoy, make a note of what was in it, and use that as a template for other ideas. Remember, you've got a lot of lunch boxes to make in your life, and anything that you do to make it easier is a smart idea.

If you are planning to make a simple stir-fry for dinner, make a little bit more than you will need, and use the left over's for your child's lunch box. Sprinkled with soya sauce, it will have reached room temperature by the time your child eats it, and it will be tasty. Just make sure the vegetables are still crunchy! I normally use plain rice noodles, in the stir fries, which are great the next day too!

If we've had been nachos for dinner, I simply add some corn crackers to the lunch packet, with the beans in a separate one, and the kids dip the cracker into the beans and enjoy a crunchy, nutritious lunch.

Having some dips as luxury paper wine box is also a good idea, and the one we find very useful is hummus, as you can use it on sandwiches, or as a dip with crunchy carrot, cucumber and celery sticks. If boys don't go for the dipping of veggies into humus, you can try the rice roll wraps.