As children across Scotland return to school this week, some attending for the first time, we wanted to know what parents are packing away in their lunch boxes to keep them fuelled at school.
From delicious sandwiches with the crusts removed to perfectly chopped fruit and vegetables, putting together children’s lunch boxes for the school day has been a staple in many parents’ routines for years now.
With children heading back to school, thousands of sandwiches will have been made in preparation for the big day.
We spoke to six parents who have filmed their children’s reactions to their lunch box options, with the youngsters highlighting what they like and dislike about what’s on offer…
The verdict
Robyn MacDonald, nine, from Inverness is going into primary six at Smithton Primary School and was delighted with the packed lunch her mum had made her.
She said: “My roll has ham and cheese but I don’t really like that kind of cheese so I’ll pick it out and eat the ham.
“I like fruit and I love apple, but I’m not a fan of cucumber. My dipping sauce was actually a yoghurt and I’ve got some nice meatballs.”
She then picked out some bars which she said “weren’t the best” but that she “could eat them”. The cheese and onion Walkers crisps were a hit as she described them as “amazing”. The Babybel also went down a hit.
Frankie-Rose Sikkema, four, who lives in Inverness with her parents is heading to Inshes Primary School to begin primary one.
She also showed off her sandwich, crisps and grapes, however, she wasn’t a big fan of her red apple – “I don’t like the skin”, she said.
In Kemnay, Aberdeenshire, cheese and ham was also popular as Jayce Hood, who is four and is attending Alehousewells School, also had one and picked it as his favourite thing in his lunch box.
He too had crisps, but also had a chocolate bun, a chocolate filled crepe and a strawberry Frubes yoghurt to snack on.
Freya Juno McLean, four, who attends Mucky Boots in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, unpacked her fruit, sausages, yoghurt and jelly.
She is sent to her nursery with a bento box packed with sugar snap peas, nuts and cheese and chopped tomato to enjoy.
Her favourite things to have for lunch are tomatoes, jelly, yoghurt and fruit, however there is one thing she doesn’t like, and that is kiwi!
Ruby Taylor-Rae, who is seven, attends Kingsford Primary School and lives in Mastrick, was tickled pink with her orange, “crispies” (crisps), Groovy biscuits from Aldi, a blackcurrant Fruit Shoot and a sandwich.
The only thing she wasn’t overly impressed with was the fact her sandwich had crusts on it.
And while Alex Toddie, who is five and lives in Monifieth and attends Grange Primary School, was the only child not to have a sandwich, instead his parents had packed him some chopped vegetables, sliced bacon and crackers, slices of apple and a flask of juice which he seemed to rather enjoy.
He said: “I like the red pepper because it is so good! It is healthy and I have some bacon which I have just started liking. I don’t like crackers that much. I love apple because the start of my name has it too (the letter A).”
Alex also likes to have chicken and sausage instead of bacon, which he has just started to eat.