Lunchbox Guidelines

Riverton Childcare encourages healthy lunchbox choices that support tamariki growth, learning, wellbeing, and safe eating practices.

• Sandwiches, wraps, fruit, cheese, yoghurt, hard-boiled eggs, cold meats, vegetables, salads, and leftovers from the previous evening meal are all encouraged lunchbox options.
• Children of any age can choke, however tamariki under three years are at greater risk. Please do not include popcorn, whole nuts, dried sultanas, or whole grapes in lunchboxes. These foods will not be served in the Explorers’ room.
• Uneaten food will be returned in lunchboxes so whānau can monitor what their tamaiti has eaten during the day.
• If your tamaiti does not have enough food for the day, we will provide additional food, such as a sandwich or fruit. If additional food is provided, a note will be placed in the lunchbox to inform whānau.
• Named water bottles are required for all tamariki.
• Please do not send lollies, chocolate bars, juice, fizzy drinks, or flavoured milk to Childcare.

DID YOU KNOW…
Some chewy fruit snacks marketed as “fruit-based” or “natural” can contain very high amounts of sugar and may also present a choking risk for young tamariki. At Riverton Childcare, products such as fruit strings, fruit nuggets, and similar chewy fruit snacks are treated as lollies and are not included as part of our healthy food guidelines.

We encourage whānau to choose healthier lunchbox options such as fresh fruit, cheese, yoghurt, crackers, sandwiches, vegetable sticks, boiled eggs, or lower-sugar snack alternatives.