Watchdog finds health risk in children’s lunchboxes

In the run-up to the start of a new school term, Which? assessed items aimed at pupils and found that adding two products to a lunchbox could provide a quarter of the recommended sugar intake, and more than half the daily salt intake, for a five-year-old.

Out of more than 1,000 parents surveyed, eight out of 10 of those who give their child a packed lunch said they included pre-packaged items.

Richard Lloyd, executive director of Which?, said: “These products might seem like handy fillers for your child’s lunchbox, but they can be bad for their health and your wallet.

“You’re better off making your own children’s lunches or giving them school dinners which are much more nutritionally balanced.”

The research found that a pack of Dairylea Lunchables Ham’n’Cheese Crackers has 1.8g salt, more than half of the recommended daily level for a five-year-old.

A 200ml bottle of blackcurrant and apple Robinsons Fruit Shoot drink has 22g of sugar, which is a quarter of the maximum amount for a five to 10-year-old.

Adding those two items to a lunchbox would cost £1.86 – whereas the average school meal costs 7p more, at £1.93.

Patricia Mucavele, senior nutritionist at the School Food Trust, said: “Making healthy packed lunches which give children the variety they need in their diet takes a lot of time and effort.

“Research consistently shows that school meals are the more nutritious option and when you look at how the prices compare, it has to be food for thought for parents wanting to give their children healthy lunches and save time and money this September.”

A Britvic spokeswoman said: “The only product in our Fruit Shoot range that we recommend for the school lunchbox is Fruit Shoot My 5, which contains 80 per cent fruit juice and counts as one of kids’ five-a-day.

“It is disappointing that Which? has focused on one product as the Fruit Shoot range includes regular and low-sugar options.

“In practice, 85 per cent of parents opt for one of our low-sugar options, which is why we now offer so many more low-sugar flavours than our regular range.

“But we also know that some parents prefer to avoid low-calorie sweeteners altogether and that, on occasions, sugar provides children with some well-needed energy.”

A spokesman for Kraft Foods, which makes Lunchables, said: “We clearly print nutritional information on packs to help all parents make informed choices, but we would also point out that a pack of Lunchables contains more than half of a five-to-10-year-old’s daily calcium requirements, too.”