Evidence-Led Menus by Registered Dietitians
Our Nutrition Policy ensures every meal is developed with children’s health, wellbeing and development in mind to provide safe, balanced and nourishing meals that help them learn, grow and thrive. Our menus are carefully designed using evidence-based nutrition principles, and a varied selection of wholesome ingredients.
BRIGHTER FUTURES
We believe good nutrition is fundamental to learning, concentration and lifelong health.
Food safety first
Our in-house food safety consultants work onsite, overseeing food safety practices and ensuring meals are prepared to the highest standards.
Always evolving
Our menus reflect seasonal produce, feedback from schools and families, and the latest nutritional guidance.
One Standard
We bring chefs, dietitians, food safety and logistics together under one roof, giving us oversight from sourcing to the child’s desk. Every meal is prepared, quality checked and delivered to one trusted standard.
This is our sample menu. Check out The Lunch Bag app for your schools menu!
Making Informed Meal Choices
We show the following for each meal
The Nutritional Information gives parents a simple view of what’s in each meal, including energy, fat, sugars, protein and salt. It gives you the information per portion, so you can easily understand what your child is eating. Our Healthy Ireland comparison helps you see how our meals measure against the nutritional standards used for hot school meals in Ireland. It gives parents additional context by showing how meals align with the guidance and standards that support healthier food choices for children. Variety Score helps you see the range of foods and plant-based ingredients included in each meal. The more plant-based foods in a meal, the more diverse the bacteria in your little ones gut! Ingredient Lists give you a clear breakdown of what’s in each meal, helping you understand the ingredients used and easily check for allergens or anything that may be important for your child.
Sensory-Inclusive & Allergy Aware
Our digital ordering system helps families safely manage allergens, dietary needs, and cultural or religious food preferences. Unsuitable meal options are automatically filtered within the app.
Healthy Ireland Compliant
Our meals are designed in line with Healthy Ireland nutritional guidelines, with ongoing input from dietitians, suppliers, and food experts to help create balanced, inclusive, and nutritious meals for children.
Actively Improving Nutrition
We address the nationwide deficit in childhood fibre by adding hidden lentils to our mince dishes. We work with experts like Ballymaloe and Culinary Food Group to develop Lunch Bag specific sauces that are low in salt, sugar and fat – yet pumped with vegetables!
Our Reformulation Project
How we challenged ourselves to improve the nutritional profile of familiar school meals without compromising on taste, familiarity or enjoyment.
"We spent 12 months rebuilding our menu with chefs and registered dietitians. We challenged our suppliers to meet our specific needs. We reformulated familiar favourites to meet new guidelines. We rebuilt our menu to deliver 100% compliance without compromising on taste."
- Colin Kenny. Our in-house CORU registered Dietitian
Familiarity matters
Particularly for children with autism or sensory needs, where familiar foods can help children access meals consistently.
Nutrition matters
Meeting evolving standards around salt, sugar, fat and additives, while keeping the meals children know and enjoy.
Inclusion matters
Reducing the risk of children being excluded from meals because of sensory preferences or dietary needs.
What We Created
Together with Glenhaven, we created a chicken goujon that meets the standards. Baked, not fried, with reduced salt and fat, it delivers the taste children love with the nutrition they deserve. A game-changer in food production!
Fun fact – These are now available for families to enjoy at home too, with the products recently spotted on the shelves in Tesco! We’re very proud to have been part of their development, helping to create healthier versions of family favourites.
Loughnane’s of Galway has created a sausage exclusively for The Lunch Bag. Made with 100% Bord Bia Quality Assured Irish pork, it’s steam cooked, free from MSG, phosphates and preservatives, and produced in a fully sustainable seaweed casing.
What Reformulation Means For…
Children
It means familiar, safe, sensory friendly meals they look forward to.
Parents
It means confidence in nutrition and transparency with every meal backed by facts.
SCHOOLS
It means complete compliance, reduced waste and healthier, happier students.
Us
It means standing by our promise to set the standard in school meals and to always go beyond whats expected for the children, for the schools and for the future.
