Stocking the pantry with staple ingredients is a great start to make eating a varied and healthy diet easy. Pantry staples generally have a long shelf life and often have ‘home brand’ varieties that are less expensive in the supermarket. Having the right ingredients helps you create nourishing and delicious meals without last-minute trips to the supermarket. So what should you stock in your pantry? Here are our top 6 essential items for the pantry. 1. Brown rice Brown rice has a delicious nutty flavour and contains more fibre than white rice to keep you fuller for longer. If you aren’t sure yo ..read more

Food Waste is a HUGE issue. Australians throw out the equivalent of 1 in every 5 bags of groceries they buy.   That’s about $1000 each year.  Food waste fills up our landfill creating greenhouse gases which are bad for the environment.  Fighting food waste is EASY.  By making a few simple changes you can save money and help save the planet.  For more info see here.  1. Only buy what you need Reducing your food waste starts before you go to the shops.  Try and plan your meals around the things you already have in the pantry, fridge and freezers.  Then make a list of what you need ..read more

To help you get to 5 serves of vegies a day, here are our top 6 ways you can quickly and easily transform veg into delicious dishes that you can’t get enough of! 1: Dress them up Whether you are cooking winter vegetables or summer salads, dressings are something easy to drizzle on top to make them taste great. Try our Caesar salad dressing or our Nicoise salad recipes for an all-purpose dressing. When roasting winter veg such as potatoes, onions, pumpkin, brussel sprouts and zucchini, enhance their natural flavours with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.  Try this balsamic baked vegetables r ..read more

Having healthy food options at home is an important part of looking after ourselves. However, it is no secret that the rising cost of living has sent grocery bills soaring and many Australians are feeling the pinch. Here are 5 tips that will take the pressure off your wallet whilst still ensuring you are filling your trolley with healthy food options. 1: Buy fruit and veg that is in season Fruit and vegetables are rich in nutrients and an important part of a balanced, healthy diet. Buying fruit and veg that is in season is cheaper, more nutritious and tastier than out of season options. Find o ..read more

Do you feel the pressure when packing a lunch box?  Are you trying to pack one that appeals to a fussy eater, only takes a few minutes to pack, doesn’t cost too much and is healthy!?  It’s easier than you think. Here are our top 5 tips to take the pressure off packing a lunch box. 1. Base it on the five food groups If you choose lunch box foods from the 5 food groups, then you can be sure it is providing your child with the nutrients they need to grow, learn and play throughout the day. Breads and cereals – such as different breads, pasta, couscous, rice, noodles and crispbrea ..read more

Weekdays can be fast and furious with work, school and after-school activities so the last thing you want to do is spend hours in kitchen!  Check out our top 5 easy, fast and healthy dinners that use everyday ingredients that your family will love.   Pea and zucchini risoni with chicken 3 serves of vegies A perfect one-bowl wonder – our pea, zucchini and pesto risoni with chicken is a delicious way to start the week.  What’s more any leftovers can be popped into the lunch box the next day.     Easy vegie curry 3 serves of vegies Our vegie curry recipe is a quic ..read more

Making homemade snacks is almost always cheaper and healthier and better for the environment because there are no packets.  We have great ideas and recipes here, but sometimes you just need a grab-and-go snack!   There are heaps of packaged snacks in supermarkets, many of which are labelled ‘perfect for the lunch box’ or ‘good for kids’.  But don’t be fooled by these marketing tactics as a lot of these products are packed with sugar, salt and saturated fat.  But it’s not all bad news, there are healthy options available!  Let us share our top 8 healthy lunch box s ..read more

Packing a healthy lunch box provides children with the energy and nutrients they need to grow, learn and play throughout the day.  It’s also a great opportunity to teach them lifelong healthy eating habits. Do you need to download this video? A copy of the video for download can be accessed from Dropbox here. The post *NEW* How to pack a healthy lunch box video appeared first on Healthy Lunch Box ..read more

First things first, what are legumes?   Legumes include lentils, peas, chickpeas and beans like kidney beans, black beans, fava beans, edamame and baked beans.  They are a nutrient powerhouse packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals. They are a great source of protein to keep you feeling full and satisfied and also count towards your vegetable intake helping you reduce your risk of cancer.  But wait, there’s more – not only are they highly nutritious but they are also cheap, widely available and easily stored in the pantry. Did you know? We should all be having 5 serves of ..read more

What is the Healthy Lunch Box? The Healthy Lunch Box website was developed by Cancer Council NSW to help promote healthy eating habits that support cancer prevention. We know 1 in 3 cancers can be prevented by having a healthy lifestyle, which includes eating high fibre foods such as fruit, vegetables and wholegrains. However, most Aussies are not eating enough of these foods. Having 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit and swapping to more wholegrains like brown rice and wholemeal bread are simple healthy habits to adopt. The Healthy Lunch Box website is a one-stop shop for everything ..read more