A little thought and preparation can make school lunches come to life. Lunch is a key meal each day and should provide children with lots of energy. It is important that food for lunch contains vitamins, minerals and fibre and is easy to recognise, handle and eat.

A very simple approach to healthy eating is to use the food pyramid. Aim to eat more of the foods at the bottom of the food pyramid, like cereals and breads and less of the foods at the top. Foods are grouped together depending on their nutrient make-up. For example, milk, cheese and yogurt are rich in calcium and so form one group. To be healthy you should aim to eat some foods from each of the four groups every day. A good rule of thumb is to have one food from each of the four main groups at lunch.