Discover easy ways to reduce junk carbs and make easy healthy low-carb lunchboxes.
There is a 2-week lunch box diary for you, a free handbook, and 50 easy healthy snack ideas to get you started.
See at the end of this post for the list of the contents for each lunch box.
Should kids be lower carb?
Before I begin, I must always emphasise my kids are LOWER carb kids, not NO carb kids. This is the biggest myth I need to bust first and foremost. They still enjoy nutrient-dense carbs such as vegetables, limited low-sugar fruit, dairy, nuts, and seeds.
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I don’t count carbs at all for my children, but I know they live on a far LOWER carb intake (and more nutrient-dense) than almost every child I know.
Children will reap the rewards and benefits from eating real, unprocessed food and cutting down on sugar, wheat, and processed carbs. It helps keep their blood sugars stable and helps give them the correct nutrition they require for phenomenal growth and development.
Sadly, however, basing meals around starchy food is deeply ingrained in modern culture – and just mentioning low-carb eating in relation to growing kids can send some people into a panic.
Surely it means they’ll be missing out on something essential? Here, we take a closer look at the top ten myths and uncover the truth behind kids and low carb.
To read the full article – LOW-CARB KIDS TOP 10 MYTHS
How to slowly reduce junk carbs from kids
Having low-carb kids is possible. It seems incredibly daunting at the beginning when we have been so used to making a super quick sandwich, a packaged muesli bar and sugary fruit yoghurt. How do you start to make the change to remove the sugar and remove the ultra-processed food?
When junk food is taken off the menu, it feels like an impossible task each day, but like everything in life, you begin with baby steps. Begin by removing the worst areas of sugar and processed carbs one at a time.
- Juice/sugar-sweetened drinks – begin by diluting them or offering sugar-free versions. But long term, they need to stop completely. Drinks often provide 75% of a child’s daily sugar intake.
- Sugary grains/granola/muesli – this includes granola, muesli, meusli bars and granola bars too. They are just cookies by another name. Take a look at why breakfast is the new dessert.
- Chocolate/candy – cut back how many times each week these make an appearance, then only offer them only on special occasions and in limited quantities.
- Cakes/cookies – begin by cutting back, always try to offer savoury food options before sweet options. Start to try new sugar-free and low-carb recipes for sweet baking.
- Chips/crisps/fried food – these are a toxic combination of high carb and high unhealthy fat foods. See my Ultimate Guide To Healthy Oils and Fats to see why it is imperative to avoid fried food in seed/vegetable oils.
- Bread/pasta/rice – all they do is bulk up a meal and offer no nutrition. Instead, begin by reducing them and creating lower-carb nutritious alternatives instead.
If it seems to daunting, just promise to make 1 small change each week = 52 small changes in 1 year. Imagine if you had started a year ago?
You will slowly get into a new routine, and you also find new favourites which you rely on frequently.
Take a look at the easy-to-follow low-carb kids planner and take it easy. In the long run, it is more sustainable.
How to make healthy lunch boxes (3 quick tips)
- Begin by making just 1 bread-free and sugar-free lunch box each week
- Begin to reduce sugar-sweetened drinks – fizzy drink, flavoured milk, juice and liquid breakfasts
- Set a future date in your calendar to stop buying sugar – forever!!
Begin by thinking of your child’s favourite lunch box meal, and imagine if you can tweak it to become low-carb. There are some easy healthy recipes below.
Easy recipes for low-carb kids
All of my family-friendly recipes on the website are wholefood, low-carb, wheat-free, bread free, gluten-free, sugar-free, grain-free… and of course, are absolutely packed with nutrition. How?
Because we have got rid of the starchy fillers such as bread, pasta, rice, wraps, and all the sugary foods like muesli bars, fruit yoghurt, dried fruit, and juice.
Low-carb lunchboxes (2-week diary)
It can be so hard to begin packing healthy lunch boxes so I am here to explain how it can be done slowly and easily, we all need the inspiration to make easy healthy sugar-free lunch boxes. But where do you go?
Below you will find 2 weeks of my children’s school lunch boxes to show you how easy they can be. You will notice fruit on there and some carrots, but remember, my kids are LOWER carb, not NO carb.
I have an 11, 14 and 17-year-old so I cater somewhat differently to each child’s appetite and taste. Sometimes they help me choose what goes in each day, and some days they will pack their own healthy lunch box.
For all the recipes, take a look at my recipe finder and click on lunchboxes.
And if you’re kids are refusing their greens, why not make my low-carb chocolate zucchini cake.
If your children are brought up with healthy food values, it may continue throughout their lives and may influence others. The entire concept of a healthy family is one we should all strive for. But remember, any step forward, is a great one.
Don’t be put off that it is too hard, be proud of any achievement and you are trying your best.
Low-carb lunch box diary
If you are wondering how to start healthy lunch boxes, begin by getting the right lunch box and changing just one compartment each week.
Baby steps make the transition an easier one for you and your healthy kids.
Low-Carb Kids – lunch box contents
- Monday #1 – cucumber, cherry tomatoes, ham off the bone, red pepper/capsicum, selection of nuts, pepperoni and cheese skewers.
- Monday #2 – salad with cheese and pepperoni, salmon crustless quiche, Babybel cheese, almond flour bread chicken sandwich, cucumber, black olives.
- Tuesday #1 – cucumber, red pepper/capsicum, nuts, lemon and blueberry cupcake, sliced small apple, prawn cocktail, leftover roast beef.
- Tuesday #2 – cucumber, sliced ham off the bone with brie, sliced small apple, natural unsweetened yoghurt and frozen raspberries, broccoli and cauliflower salad with bacon.
- Wednesday #1 – almonds, red pepper/capsicum, 3-seed bread, cherry tomatoes, pepperoni stick, ham and cheese layers, a small apple, tuna fishcake patty.
- Wednesday #2 – cucumber, cherry tomatoes, ham off the bone, a small apple, pepperoni and cheese skewers, walnuts and almonds.
- Thursday #1 – leafy green salad with leftover sliced sausages, brie, cherry tomatoes, strawberries.
- Thursday #2 – pear, almonds, leafy green salad with leftover roast chicken and sliced veggies.
- Friday #1 – broccoli, Brussels sprouts, red pepper/capsicum, Big Fat Surprise sliced, tuna fishcake patty, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and coconut chips.
- Friday #2 – Babybel cheese, coleslaw, almond flour bread cheese salad sandwich, spiced chicken drumstick.
Low-Carb Kids – summary
I have written an entire series on low-carb kids. If you are new here you may wish to look at a regular lunch box vs a low-carb whole food lunch box. Every parent should read this post.
- Low Carb Kids 1 – tips and tricks
- Low Carb Kids 2 – a printable guide to get your kids involved. How to plan you lunchbox each day.
- Low Carb Kids 4 – how to make a low carb lunchbox, and more Low Carb lunchbox ideas
- Low Carb Kids 5 – healthy sugar-free snacks for after school
- FREE printable PDF Healthy Sugar-Free Snacks for after school
- Low Carb Kids 6 – an entire month of school lunch ideas
- Low Carb Kids 7 – My guest post on Diet Dr, “How To Raise Children On Real Low Carb Food”.
- Low Carb Kids 8 – How to help your child eat real food – with an action plan
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A list of what’s in each one would be helpful! Trying to give ideas to my DIL the grandkids are terrible eaters. 🙁
Take a look at this printable guide I have made. There is a list of proteins, vegetables, good fats etc.
Hi I love your site and would like to link some of my articles back to your site.
Keep up the good work.
Thanks
Steve
Fathergrowsless.com
What a great website with creative healthy ideas. Thank you!
Thanks Brooke 🙂
I love your recipes for kids, but my children are not allowed to take egg to School. How could I substitute?
For protein you could give extra meat, cheese, nuts (if they’re allowed).
What is in number 9??
Sorry, I should write a list of what’s in each one, this was a post from a long time ago. That lunch box has carrots, sugar free macaroons, salmon and cream cheese, seaweed slices (the packet) and cucumber slices.
what a fantastic site,very helpful and informative,if only i had found some of the useful websites sooner i would of been more educated about food and wouldnt be in the boat im in now, have 5 children,2 of which are over weight which is why im making healthier choices now,just setting out so struggling a little but reading all these lovely recipes will help so much,thankyou
p.s i cant tell what is in some of the lunch boxes although i have looked at the printable guide,is there any chance of a breakdown on each box if you have the time please? or is there something i havnt read?
Take a look at my one month guide to low carb lunch boxes where there is a breakdown of each day.
My grandson is a natural vegetarian, even at age 3 he will not eat meat or eggs. Fortunately he loves my nut ball snacks, but i worry about him not getting enough protein – any suggestions?
Will he eat meat hidden? In a quiche, in a sauce pureed? What does he eat if not eggs or meat, they are pretty important. You can usually get by without one, but not eating both must be incredibly difficult. To get protein he could have dairy, chia seeds, nuts, etc. It still won’t compare though to eating meat and the iron from meat. Many children I see who won’t eat meat it is because of the texture. What does his daily diet look like? Let’s see if we can get him eating eggs as a start.
You are right…I am trying Low carb, medium fat and am really battling as I don’t eat much meat/fish at all. Dairy and eggs are fine but it gets really boring.
Not seeing a healthy diet here, lots of processed and high fat food suggestions. How are soda or sausage good food choices? A healthy diet is more than just cutting out the gluten.
I’m sorry I don’t understand what’s unhealthy about these ideas? to me they cater for the lchf lifestyle.
No! typical mothers saying that! how could you do that to your kids!
Ms. Landrum,
I don’t see where any soda is suggested. I think that would not be included in a healthy low carb diet. As for processed foods, they should’ve used sparingly. Good quality organic, grass fed, pasture raised products especially those made in a traditional way shouldn’t cause a concern. It seems you are still learning about lowering carbohydrates, which explains your concern about consuming fats. We all had the same misconceptions about fat at one point keep researching the topic, and the more you learn about the science, the more it will make sense to seek out higher fat content foods for optimum health. It’s wonderful that you have an interest in this way of eating. Best of luck to you!
If you don’t like her lunchbox ideas, you’re more than welcome to not use them. If you don’t get the LCHF diet, maybe don’t comment on LCHF diet suggestions. These are great ideas for kids in keto families.
Why when I look up for sugar free snacks do I get the website for lunch boxes for sale?
There is a link on another page as readers are asking me which lunch boxes I use and recommend, there are no such links on this page however. 🙂
When I click on the picture of 2 weeks of lunches it takes me to Amazon lunch boxes how can I get the pic of the 2 weeks lunches?
This is an updated post showing one month of my children’s lunch boxes and the entire list of contents.
Right click and save image. Than print.
mothers being critical of other mothers …typical! This is one mothers suggestions as to what she feels is a great low carb meal plan for her children..would I follow the recommendations? maybe…depends on a number of factors such as my financial situation and what is available from my local butcher and grocer, my kids likes and dislikes and also where we are starting on the low carb lifestyle – coming from eating waffles, toast with jam, lots of fruit etc.
What is the point of this comment? No one is critical of your parenting here… you are searching for a reason to be offended. And they are suggestions… to help people… if you don’t need help because you are so superior, than why are you on this page looking for suggestions in the first place. Move along… move along…
My reply to the comment of keto for kids being “dependent on budget and what my kids like and dislike”: I think we can all afford keto if we cut out the carbs, the fast food, the eating out, and the extras that are wants, not needs. If you are committed to a healthy lifestyle of the keto WOE and want to impact your kids lifestyle and positive eating habits, you will research it and make it happen on the budget you have or find the money by cutting out things you don’t really need. If your kids don’t like the foods on the keto diet, they need to be retrained to like it. Get them involved with cooking, research recipes and reviews of foods your kids like and learn to modify your recipe so the kids like it.
It turns out peeled carrots that are stored (refrigerated) after peeling grow a lot of bacteria and are really bad for your gut. It seems so healthy but it is so bad for you. So buy regular-size organic carrots, wash and eat with the peel or cut/peel just before eating!
These lunches don’t seem like enough? Like enough to fill them up or calorie-wise. I made my 6 & 8 year old girls a similar lunch but with added oiled potato wedges and they were still hungry (to the point where the school made them sandwiches :/ ). Your lunches look very snack size I don’t know how older kids (and the schools) would deal with it? Do they have a heavy breaky to help? Have you added more foods since doing it for over a year?