It’s time to bring back the sandwich

19th January 2021 | Eativity editors

School holidays are almost over, and while most parents will probably be breathing a collective sigh of relief as Junior and Juniorette head back to school, many will also be dreading the coming onslaught of planning and making school lunches. Need a little inspiration for the coming term? The Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council (GLNC) is running their annual Bring Back the Sandwich campaign to encourage parents to pack simple, nutritious lunchboxes by creating simple sandwiches with just a few ingredients.

“Bring Back the Sandwich helps make packing the lunchbox a simpler task, while ensuring kids get the best of both worlds – a balance of good nutrition and tasty options,” says Jaimee Hughes, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Nutrition Manager at GLNC.

“Making the swap to wholegrain bread is one of the easiest things parents can do to benefit their family’s health. Evidence suggests that swapping to whole grains comes just behind lowering salt in providing real health benefits for all ages. A simple wholegrain or wholemeal sandwich is an often overlooked, yet convenient and delicious source of nutrition.”

Kids need a balanced and varied diet every day – their lunchbox is a great place to start.

Including a wholemeal sandwich and wholegrain snacks in your kids’ lunchbox can ensure they easily hit their daily wholegrain target. George Georgievski from School Lunchbox will be sharing his top tips for making the swap to wholegrain foods during the campaign.

“I like to mix things up by using wholegrain wraps when creating my famous ‘springwich’, and swap to wholegrain crackers, popcorn and wholegrain muesli bars for morning and afternoon tea,” Georgievski says

Whole grains are an essential part of a healthy diet, providing vitamins, minerals and fibre.

For a stress free, balanced sandwich, simply follow Georgievski’s four easy steps:

1.Choose your base: whether you choose a roll, wrap or good old sliced bread, use wholegrain, wholemeal or high fibre varieties where possible.
2. Add flavour: use Vegemite, hummus or avocado to add a pop of flavour, colour and nutrients. Or mix things up with a bright beetroot hummus.
3. Add your vegies: use a handful of salad or any other raw or cooked vegetables you have at home. This is the perfect time to use up last night’s leftover roast pumpkin or zucchini.
4. Finally, choose your protein power: quick and easy sources of protein like cheese, tuna, boiled egg, mashed beans or leftover poached chicken are great for sandwiches.

Bring Back the Sandwich runs from January 18-31. For more sandwich and lunchbox ideas for all ages, follow GLNC on Instagram.