Food experts recommend prioritising whole grains, calcium, and protein while reducing sugary drinks and processed snacks to ensure children stay energised and satisfied throughout the school day.
As the school year begins, parents looking to build a more filling, balanced lunchbox may want to pay closer attention to the bread, drinks and snacks they pack. Manal Ezz Eldin, a food technology researcher at Egypt’s Food Technology Institute, told Veto that the aim should be to choose foods that keep children satisfied for longer and help avoid sharp swings in blood sugar.
According to Ezz Eldin, local baladi bread is one of the better sandwich options because it contains fibre, which helps children feel full and supports digestion. That advice is in line with guidance from Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, which says whole grains provide fibre and nutrients that help digestion and support steadier blood sugar levels. Stanford also recommends moving children gradually towards bread and other products with a higher whole-grain content.
Ezz Eldin warned against relying every day on soft white bread such as fino bread, saying it contains less fibre than baladi or other whole-grain breads and is digested more quickly, which may leave pupils hungry sooner. She also said repeated dependence on low-fibre, high-calorie foods, especially when children are less active and eat too many sugary or fatty products, can contribute to weight gain over time. Connecticut Children’s and the Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council both recommend building lunchboxes around fruit, vegetables, whole grains and protein to keep children energised through the school day.
She also stressed the importance of including a good source of calcium and protein, suggesting milk or yoghurt and, where neither is available, water rather than sweet drinks or industrial fruit juices. For snacks, she urged parents to choose healthier options instead of sweets and processed crisps, pointing to items such as popcorn, lupin beans, chickpeas, peanut brittle, sesame sweets and chickpea-based snacks. Similar lunchbox guidance from Bright Horizons and Super Healthy Kids recommends keeping practical, child-friendly staples on hand so parents can assemble balanced meals that are more likely to be eaten and less likely to come back untouched.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
