Research by Lidl Ireland shows nearly half of kid’s lunch boxes are packed with unhealthy snacks

• 56% of parents say they typically include less healthy treats in their child’s such as biscuits, crisps, chocolate and sweets as an afternoon snack
• 39% of parents struggle to get their child to eat a healthy afternoon snack
• 29% of parents have tried to provide healthy snacks, but found it too expensive

New research from Lidl Ireland has unwrapped the contents of kid’s school lunchboxes to reveal that less healthy treats such as chocolate, crisps, sweets and biscuits feature for most pupils (56%) as the main afternoon snack, with nearly 1 in 4 parents (39%) saying they struggle to get their child to eat a healthier alternative.

For parents of secondary students, the struggle to pack in nutritious options is even greater, with almost half (49%) admitting it hard to squeeze in the good stuff.

When it comes to the all-important afternoon snack, 44% of parents say they actively try to provide a different snack every day, whilst 83% say that if they find something healthy that their child will eat, they tend to incorporate that as much as possible into the lunchbox.

The research, conducted by RED C, was commissioned by Lidl Ireland ahead of the back-to-school rush to uncover the attitudes and behaviours of parents towards their children’s eating habits and to identify the struggles parents face when trying to prepare healthy and nutritious food for their children.

With the afternoon snack featuring as a staple item in kid’s lunch boxes across the country, Ireland’s leading discount retailer Lidl Ireland has partnered with registered dietitian Orla Walsh to support parents preparing for back to school.

DieticianOrla Walsh said “We all know how hard it can be for parents to get kids to eat nutritious foods, especially when they’re in school, but this new research from Lidl Ireland really unwraps some less healthy habits that can easily creep in when preparing lunch boxes, with over half of parents in Ireland adding in less nutritious options which can often contain high levels of sugar, causing that afternoon slump feeling we can all experience at times.

Snacking has become an increasingly important way of ensuring that kids get the nutrients they need to be at their best when learning in school. In fact, many people don’t realise that a single healthy snack can provide many key nutrients a child needs to properly fuel their bodies and their brains throughout the school day. With biohacking becoming a big trend, small and incremental changes to the lunchbox can really help, optimise what our kids are eating and when, to match their nutritional needs. Swapping out the less healthy options for nutritious and affordable snacks is a great step to better overall wellbeing.”

According to the research, price of healthy snack alternatives is one of the biggest barriers perceived by parents. Over half (52%) say they would love to be able to afford healthy snacks to give to their child every day, but find the prices are too high and 45% of parents admit to opting for a treat over a healthier alternative because they are cheaper. Almost a third of parents (29%) have tried in the past to provide healthy snacks but found it too expensive to continue providing every day.

Ahead of school starting, Lidl Ireland has teamed up with Orla Walsh to provide a shopping list of top five afternoon snack superfoods to fuel brain and body and give kids a nutritional boost towards the end of a long day of learning.

1. There goes the bell… peppers!

Bell peppers really are top of the class when it comes to nutrition. Did you know… just one serving of pepper provides your daily recommended intake of Vitamin C? Vitamin C and folate support the normal function of the immune system and contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue so they’re ideal foods for overall body and brain health. Not only do they add colour, flavour and a fun crunch, but they’re naturally fat free, low calorie and high in fibre – a real hero!

2. Go bananas

When you think of high-energy snack foods, bananas are likely one of the first things that come to mind. They can be eaten alone or as part of other meals and make a super portable snack for kids to take to school. Eating a banana at break time will provide kids with a bunch of nutrients like carbohydrates, vitamin B6 and potassium.

3. Avo some fun!

Avocados are known for their health benefits providing healthy fats, fibre, potassium, vitamin E, and vitamin B3, B5, B6 and B9. Vitamin B6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity while potassium contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system which is important for growing bodies. Slice it or smash it – it’s a superbly fun addition to the lunchbox!

4. Take a lesson in Greek

Greek yogurt packs a powerful nutritional punch. Its high protein levels make it a great choice for healthy snacking as protein, as well as the calcium it provides, is needed for normal growth and development of bone in children. Protein also contributes to growth in muscle mass so a great boost for growing kids!

5. Oats so simple

Packed with carbohydrates, wholegrains provide energy to fuel the brain and our movement. Oats also provide beta-glucans have been shown to lower blood cholesterol. High cholesterol is a risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease. A ready-made oat bar is a great alternative to chocolate or why not add raw oats to Greek yoghurt with some fruit for a sweet tasting treat.

Superfoods

“These five superfood snacks really are the heroes of the lunchbox and great alternatives for parents to ensure they’re packing as much nutrition into their kid’s day as possible. Best of all, with these affordable hacks, price doesn’t have to be a barrier. Lidl Ireland shoppers can pick up these afternoon snacks for the week for just €3.28, ensuring healthy and nutritious food is accessible to everyone”, said Orla Walsh.

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In the four weeks to 4 September, the price of back-to-school essentials (bread, ham, cheese, yoghurt, cereal and milk) rose by 19.5%, making a basket of these staples €2 more expensive.

The most basic items saw some of the biggest jumps with bread up 20%, ham up 12%, milk up 26%, yoghurt up 17%. Collectively, shoppers spent an additional €17m on these products compared to the same period last year, driven entirely by price as volumes were down 6%.

Emer Healy, Kantar senior analyst, comments: “Grocery price inflation is at its highest level since Kantar began tracking grocery price inflation in May 2008. As food and drink prices continue to climb alongside increasing pressure on other household bills, the impact is unavoidable for many Irish consumers.

“The average annual grocery bill could go from €6,985 to €7,753 – that’s an additional €768 a year that Irish consumers will have to spend if they do not make any changes to what they currently buy or where they shop”

As consumers search for better value, the biggest winners are retailer own-label lines. In the latest 12 weeks, sales of own-label products are up 5.8%, representing an additional €72m year-on-year. Value own-label ranges, the very cheapest products in the range, saw even stronger growth up 21.4% compared to the same period last year as shoppers spent an additional €10.2m.

The cost-of-living crunch has also encouraged an influx of new shoppers to go online. In the last four weeks alone, volumes were up as shoppers increased their packs per trip by 2.9% contributing an additional €6.8m to the overall market performance. More than one-in-10 Irish shoppers (12%) now purchase their groceries online.

Sales value rises at grocery giants

Appealing to the need for better deals has helped all major retailers to grow in the last 12 weeks. Market leader Dunnes (22.3% value share) saw growth of 7.2% year-on-year, helped by an influx of new shoppers (up 4.7%), and an increase in shopping trips (up 1.7%). Dunnes traditionally performs well at back-to-school times and experienced strong own-label growth of 13% year-on-year.

Tesco sits at 21.9% share, with sales up 3.9% compared to last year as shoppers return to store more often (6.6%), while SuperValu (21.4% share) continues to attract more trips than any other retailer, with an average of 21.5 trips made in the last 12 weeks. Lidl holds 13.2% share growing 3.5% year-on-year, while rival low-cost retailer Aldi sits at 12.7% share an increase of 1.4% as a result of existing shoppers returning to store more often.

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As parents and children across the country prepare for the return to school, SPAR is making lunch box options more exciting and appetising for children and parents alike through recipes and an extensive range of fresh and healthy produce.

As part of the SPAR Better Choices campaign, SPAR has created recipe ideas for lunch boxes, after-school snacks and weekend treats that are packed full of nutritious fruit and vegetables and help encourage healthy habits into weekly routines.

The leading Irish convenience retailer is leaning into using language as a way to engage children, with recipes like Veggie Dib Dabs, Love Heart Toasties, Star Faced Sambos and many more to make sure that packing lunches for school is both fun and nutritious.

SPAR and Seamus have produced a ‘Seamus Says’ video series which sees the Ireland and Everton captain provide top tips for keeping children active after school and at the weekends.

SPAR is also giving families the chance to win a kitchen kit of essential kitchen utensils and a €50 SPAR voucher to stock up on healthy choices ingredients. To be in with a chance of winning and to also access all of Seamus’ top tips, simply visit SPAR’s social media accounts.

Throughout the campaign Clare-based lifestyle content creator Emma O’Leary, who runs the Instagram account @lifewithtinyhumans, will take to her own kitchen and show followers just how easy the recipes are to follow as she gets her own kids back to school.

As a father of three, Seamus, appreciates the importance of a healthy balanced diet and regular exercise. Speaking at the campaign launch, he commented: “I am thrilled to be involved again with SPAR Better Choices this year. I know how hectic the return to school can be for some parents and with three growing daughters at home, who are preparing to go back to school, it’s really important that they have healthy and tasty meals as they settle back into their school routine.

“I am delighted to be working with SPAR to promote the importance of healthy eating and the importance of exercise and we are really looking forward to trying some of the SPAR Better Choices recipes at home!”

SPAR Sales Director Colin Donnelly added: “At SPAR we are committed to providing our customers with the best product offerings across our stores. Our aim is to offer parents affordable solutions for their families and to give piece of mind in knowing that they can always rely on us to have a great choice of healthy options when it comes to preparing for the return to school this year.”

Caption: Republic of Ireland and Everton captain Seamus Coleman helps launch SPAR’s Better Choices campaign 

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