They say September is the new January for meal planning—and for many families, January feels a lot like September when it comes to packing lunches.
If you’re ready for fresh ideas, inspiration, and systems to help your kids eat well all day, you’ll enjoy this interview.
Georgia Harding is a naturopath and mother of two from Queensland, Australia. Her perspective on food, family routines, and practical cooking makes healthy lunchpacking approachable for busy households.
You’ll find helpful guidance on:
- her S.L.O.W. foods approach
- what to include in a balanced lunchbox and how to create simple routines
- planning and prep strategies that make healthy lunches manageable for busy families
Can’t see the video? Click to watch “Master School Lunch Packing” on YouTube.
No time for the full video? Here are the highlights and practical notes.
School Lunch Planning Video Time Stamps
- 0:18: Introduction to healthy school lunches with Georgia Harding, a naturopath and mother of two.
- 0:46: Georgia shares her personal health journey and how it shaped her interest in whole-food nutrition.
- 2:17: When her second child started school, Georgia shifted from clinical practice to sharing recipes and strategies online to help other families cook and eat well.
“Mooooom, I’m hungry!!”
How often do your kids ask for snacks? Empowering children to prepare simple snacks reduces dependence on adults and builds kitchen confidence.
Download and print:
Get the Snacks Now!
How to Find Healthy Foods
- 4:17: Georgia explains S.L.O.W. foods: in Season, Locally grown, Organic when possible, and Whole foods. This framework helps families prioritize fresher, less-processed choices.
- 6:48: If you live in a cold climate with a short growing season, Georgia offers tips for sourcing the freshest options available during winter months.
- 8:36: Her recipes include alternatives for food sensitivities and preferences, encouraging families to adapt meals while keeping nutrition front and center.
I really want to build confidence around cooking. – Georgia Harding, ND
- 11:34: Georgia describes how her naturopathic training and holistic outlook inform the way she approaches food as medicine.
You can be taking the best herbs and supplements, but if you’re not eating well then it’s going to be really hard to maintain good health… – Georgia Harding, ND
- 12:55: Everyone’s body and season of life are different. There’s no single diet that works for everyone—what helped one person may not suit another.
Packing Healthy School Lunches
- 16:10: The goal is to make whole foods the norm at home. Practical tips help you include real food in lunches without added stress.
- 17:09: Georgia shares a simple template and method for packing lunches, with sample combinations that balance protein, vegetables or fruit, whole grains, and a small treat.
- 18:48: Including a real-food treat regularly can make lunches feel enjoyable and sustainable—Georgia explains how she developed recipes that are both nourishing and kid-friendly.
- 20:16: Her recipes work well for children with sensitivities; substitutions and alternatives make them adaptable.
- 21:02: For kids less enthusiastic about vegetables, Georgia gives practical tips to increase exposure and acceptance through small steps and involvement in food prep.
- 24:25: Planning and prep are lifesavers: cook extras at dinner to create leftovers for lunch, or prepare a quick protein while finishing dinner. Keep standby options like tuna, hardboiled eggs, or simple baked goods for busy mornings.
- 26:03: Packing the night before while cleaning up dinner saves time and mental energy. The more you practice, the more automatic it becomes.
- 26:40: If lunches come home uneaten or are discarded, troubleshoot the reasons with your child—temperature, taste, or peer influence—and problem-solve together.
- 28:16: Georgia shares her top practical tip for feeding families well: build habits that make good food the easy choice.
Georgia Harding, ND is a naturopath and mother of two from Queensland, Australia. She focuses on practical whole-food cooking and family connection. Her common-sense approach and delicious recipes help readers create nourishing, manageable meals.
Resources Mentioned About School Lunches
- Well Nourished Family — Georgia’s meal-planning service
- Georgia’s Kitchen Stewardship website and Healthy Lunchbox eBook
- Related posts on meal planning and packing healthy school lunches
I am an affiliate for Georgia’s book, but that doesn’t change your price!
Use these practical tips and routines to simplify lunchpacking, build your child’s food confidence, and make wholesome food the easiest choice for busy school days.