With children heading back to school, a new price and nutrition analysis shows that simple supermarket swaps can significantly boost kids' fibre intake without increasing grocery bills.
Our latest analysis shows that replacing highly processed lunchbox foods with wholegrain and vegetable-based options can more than double fibre intake, using familiar foods available at most supermarkets.
Small swaps, big health benefits
We found that a low-fibre lunchbox costing around $5.00, typically made up of white bread, wraps or rolls, packaged snacks such as Shapes, Jatz, LCM bars and Jumpys, plus an apple, provides an average of seven grams of fibre.
By making simple swaps for wholemeal and wholegrain options, and choosing snacks like wholegrain crackers, roasted legumes, popcorn, hummus and vegetables, families can pack a high-fibre lunchbox for a similar price that delivers an average of 18 grams of fibre.
Fibre plays a vital role in children's digestion, gut health, sustained energy levels and classroom concentration. It helps children feel fuller for longer and supports long-term health.
How much fibre do kids need?
- Children aged 4-8 years need around 18 grams of fibre per day
- Children aged 9-13 years need 20-24 grams per day
Ten easy lunchbox swaps to boost fibre
- Swap white bread for wholemeal or wholegrain varieties
- Replace sugary spreads like jam with hummus, avocado or nut butters (if nuts are allowed at school)
- Swap sugary snack bars for wholegrain cereal bites
- Choose plain popcorn instead of packets of chips or salty snacks
- Pack carrot sticks with hummus instead of packaged snacks
- Use wholemeal wraps instead of white wraps
- Replace flavoured yoghurt pouches with plain yoghurt and fresh fruit
- Use wholegrain crackers instead of refined varieties
- Swap processed snacks for trail mix, fruit bread or roasted legume snacks
- Use canned legumes such as baked beans instead of frozen pastry or party foods like chicken nuggets
Lunchbox comparison: processed vs healthier swaps
Our analysis compared two lunchboxes per day, one highly processed and one using healthier swaps across a school week. Each lunchbox included a main item, two snacks, an apple and a drink, with an average cost of $5.00.
Monday
Processed lunchbox
White bread sandwich with jam
LCM bar
Shapes
Juice box
Apple
Cost: $3.70 | Fibre: 7.3g
Healthier swap
Fruit bread with ricotta
Weet-Bix Bites
Carrot sticks, hummus and wholegrain rice crackers
Water
Apple
Cost: $4.16 | Fibre: 26.9g
One serve of vegetables
Tuesday
Processed lunchbox
Bacon and cheese scroll
Flavoured yoghurt pouch
Jumpys potato snacks
Juice box
Apple
Cost: $6.16 | Fibre: 7g
Healthier swap
Wholemeal roll with chicken, cheese and tomato
Plain yoghurt with strawberries
Popcorn and carrot sticks
Water
Apple
Cost: $6.03 | Fibre: 14.5g
One serve of vegetables
Wednesday
Processed lunchbox
White wrap with ham and cheese
Le Snak
Iddy Biddy Fruit Snacks
Juice box
Apple
Cost: $5.53 | Fibre: 8.7g
Healthier swap
Wholemeal chicken and grated carrot wrap
Vita-Wheats with cheese
Sultanas
Water
Apple
Cost: $4.14 | Fibre: 15.9g
One serve of vegetables
Thursday
Processed lunchbox
Salami stick, cheese stringer and Jatz
Roll-Up
Jumpys potato snack
Juice box
Apple
Cost: $6.12 | Fibre: 7.6g
Healthier swap
Boiled eggs, sliced cheese, wholegrain rice crackers, cucumber and carrot sticks
Fruit bread
Roasted fava beans
Water
Apple
Cost: $5.24 | Fibre: 17.7g
Two serves of vegetables
Friday
Processed lunchbox
Chicken nuggets
Tiny Teddies
Potato Stix
Juice box
Apple
Cost: $4.49 | Fibre: 6.1g
Healthier swap
Baked beans
Plain yoghurt with strawberries
Popcorn and carrot sticks
Water
Apple
Cost: $4.48 | Fibre: 18.9g
Two serves of vegetables
Lunchbox cost and nutritional comparison used product information and full-price supermarket data sourced from Coles and Woolworths online in December 2025.
Looking for more healthy lunchbox ideas? Find recipes, tips, and resources on the Crunch&Sip® website.
