Packing a lunch

Slice ’n’ Easy
Build-your-own lunches were popular with the kids, who loved the chance to play with their biscuits and cheese. But these were, on the whole, the least popular choices for a lunchbox.

Dairylea Lunchables 3/10
Price: £1.25 for 110g pack
Nutrition: 69% RDA calcium
Results: This range of self-assembly snacks includes flavours such as hot dog, tender turkey, ham and cheese pizza and tasty chicken. The golden crackers disappeared quickly, but the plain and flavoured slices had little taste. Such a big pack was off-putting, and the children soon gave up on the slices and concentrated on the biscuits. Parents felt a half quantity would be more realistic and that this was a waste of packaging and ‘very expensive for what is basically cheese and biscuits’.

Bite-To-Eat 2/10
Price: 99p per pack
Nutrition: RDAs not given
Results: ‘Way too much,’ was the adult verdict again, although the children liked the self-assembly aspect. It comprised Ritz-like cheesy crackers – which went down fairly well – and two sections of Double Chunky Cheddar slices which, despite the colour difference, tasted the same and were left uneaten.