For parents, school term can be a bit like bootcamp – you work, you ferry around the kids to school, activities and play dates, you make dinner, you put them to bed…and then you have to make school lunches!
Northern suburbs local Erin Matts, founder of Yum in a Box, is tackling lunchbox fatigue and ultra-processed snacks with a service that’s as thoughtful as it is practical. Prepared fresh, Yum in a Box bento lunches are delivered directly to schools and packed with local produce, eco-conscious packaging, and balanced nutrition to help keep the kiddos fueled all day for learning and play.
We spoke with Erin about why local sourcing matters, how her service supports time-poor families, and what she’s learned about feeding happy, healthy kids.
1) We love that you’ve partnered with local suppliers like Millers Local Bakehouse and Glenbernie Orchard. Why is sourcing locally important to you, and how does it shape the Yum in a Box philosophy?
Sourcing locally means a lot to us for many reasons. Personally, we love supporting local businesses, so it was always going to filter through into Yum in a Box to support local businesses where we can. Sourcing locally for Yum in a Box emphasises the quality and freshness of our products as there is little to no intervention to keep products fresh. Sourcing locally also means it keeps people employed in our area and strengthens the community economy. One day our children will need jobs and it would be great to know there will be something out there for them in any industry they might be interested in.
2) Yum in a Box was created for time-poor parents, filling a need that’s only increasing as the cost of living crisis pushes parents to work longer hours. How do you see your service contributing to greater food equity in the school setting?
We are hoping to improve food equity in the school setting by making healthy food more accessible for EVERY child. I really feel for some children who might have both parents working full time who might rely on easy, convenient (sometimes not so healthy) lunch options going to school against children who have a stay at home parent who could be providing healthy home cooked goods every day of the week. If we could contribute to making healthy foods more accessible to most, if not all, students across our region whilst supporting the mental load of parents, we will have achieved the goal of our business.
3) Can you tell us more about your approach to sustainability and how that influences your business decisions?
Our approach is all about making small changes where we can, making it a habit then introducing another change. It’s not about changing your whole life at once but rather being more mindful of our behaviours and what impact they might have on the environment. In terms of the business, we initially tried to combat the challenge of providing reusable bento boxes. Logistically that became a nightmare but my brain still has some crazy ideas that I’m sure are unachievable at the moment. Our next best bet was our compostable trays and recyclable lids. Our hope with our bento boxes was to also hopefully reduce single use plastics e.g. chip, muesli bar packaging. We also do not sell drinks, not even plastic water bottles as we encourage refillable water bottles.
4) You’re preparing and delivering fresh, balanced bento boxes each day. What have you learned about what kids actually want to eat, and how do you balance that with nutrition goals?
Great question! We trialled a lot of recipes before moving forward with the business. We used my kids, nieces, nephews and neighbours who are all primary school age to taste and give feedback. We have learned there are kids who eat anything, some kids who are 50/50 with different foods and kids who don’t like many things outside of what they are used to. It’s a classic case of ‘you can’t keep everyone happy’. It’s the same at our dinner table each night haha. We have also learned that there seems to be an expectation that our service is / should serve what a traditional canteen would serve. We understand kids love sausage rolls, pies, chicken nuggets etc and although we are not against these products, we are against the kind that are full of preservatives with little to no nutritional value. We feel very strongly about this and will never sell these products. Unfortunately, we are not in the position to be offering the healthy versions of these products yet but it is not out of the question. We have a similar view on sugar sweetened drinks and will not sell these items either. Instead, we encourage students and staff to bring their own water bottles to school to promote healthy habits.
5) What’s been the most surprising or rewarding part of starting Yum in a Box so far, and how has the community responded?
The most rewarding part thus far has been the feedback from parents thanking us for our service and letting us know how much their children love our bento boxes. The community has been so supportive and we have appreciated all of their respectful feedback as it is important at these early stages of a business in order to learn and grow.
6) And the most important part – what schools are you currently servicing and where can parents order?
We are currently servicing; Austinmer Public School, Bulli Public School, Coledale Public School, Scarborough Public school, Bellambi Public School and Shire Christian School. All orders can be made via the My School Connect website.
