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Family Perspectives on Packing a Low-Waste and Nutritious School Lunchbox
Neha K Lalchandani1, Caroline Miller2, Clare Hume3
1School of Health and Social Development, Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia; School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
|May 31, 2025
Summary
Families face challenges in packing nutritious, low-waste school lunchboxes due to external factors and personal priorities. Shared responsibility among parents, schools, and systems is key for improving nutrition and reducing waste.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Environmental Health
- Family Studies
Background:
- School lunchboxes are a significant source of food and packaging waste.
- Family practices surrounding lunchbox preparation are complex and influenced by multiple factors.
- There is a need to understand how to promote both nutrition and sustainability in school lunches.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore family perspectives on food, packaging, and waste in school lunchboxes.
- To investigate the everyday practices of packing and consuming school lunches.
- To identify factors influencing the preparation of nutritious and low-waste lunchboxes.
Main Methods:
- Exploratory qualitative study utilizing semistructured online interviews with South Australian families.
- Participants included 16 parents (predominantly mothers) and their children aged 8-12 years.
- Data were analyzed using a reflexive thematic approach.
Main Results:
- Three themes emerged: extrinsic factors (school environment), intrinsic factors (Hierarchy of Motivations), and responsibility for change.
- External factors influenced packing practices, while personal priorities guided food and packaging choices.
- Families highlighted a shared responsibility for improving nutrition and reducing waste among parents, schools, and broader systems.
Conclusions:
- Family lunchbox practices are influenced by existing challenges that hinder environmental sustainability.
- School-level initiatives are needed to address barriers and support families in packing sustainable lunchboxes.
- Further research should integrate nutrition and sustainability goals and clarify roles in driving change.
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