Research with over 1,000 mums through an online survey. The research looks at real behaviour with a semiotic analysis of their actual lunchbox photos and really what’s in the lunch box? We explore the influences of deciding what to put in lunches through word of mouth, online sources, shopping and of course how important children are deciding what they want.

1. Welcome to

2. 2
Social Soup Lunch Box Research 2015

3. 3
WHAT IS
SOCIAL
SOUP?
We are an
influence platform
with a highly
engaged
community
we guarantee
greater insights
and impact
• Social Soup is an influence
platform. We have direct,
active relationship with an
evergrowing 150,000
engaged people ranging from
peer influencers to top tier
social influencers
• Social Soup can uniquely
target the right people with
particular behaviours and
networks
• With this network we can
develop insights campaigns,
trial or sharing ocassions to
build or launch new products.
• We have a technology platform
built for live insights, analysis
and sharing
• Our influencers create shared
experiences which lead to
significantly higher impact and
with high engagement we
achieve greater insights
• Our campaigns target people
who will create social content
(real user generated content)
from their experience and
share with their networks with
high impact creating scale
• We manage the entire process
from recruitment selection,
fulfillment, community
management/communication,
collateral design, insights and
reporting making the process
easy for you

4. 4
Launch
teams scaling
advocacy
User
Generated
Content
Live Insights
and learnings

5. Gemma Enright PhD: Childhood obesity
and sustained behaviour change
• Testing the effectiveness
of incentives as a
behaviour change
strategy
• Within the context of a
community-based family-
focused program Go4Fun
• Kids aged 7-13 and their
parent/ carer
Translating real world
research into policy

6. Getting kids to sustain healthier eating:
4 tools based on behavioural literature
Sustaining healthy
habits: Incentivising
behaviour rather than
outcomes [1]
1. Kivetz R et al. The Goal-Gradient Hypothesis Resurrected: Purchase Acceleration, Illusionary Goal Progress, and Customer Retention.
Journal of Marketing Research 2006; 43(1): 39-58.
2. Adriaanse MA et al. Do implementation intentions help to eat a healthy diet? Appetite. 2011; 56(1): 183-193.
3. Okely AD et al. Multi-site randomized controlled trial of a child-centred physical activity program, a parent-centred dietary-modification
program, or both in overweight children: The HIKCUPS study. Journal of Pediatrics 2010;157:388-394.
4. NSW Office of Preventive Health. The first year in review, 2013. Available at www.preventivehealth.net.au
Creating motivation:
tracking small repeated
goals for a sense of
progress [1]
Following through:
setting implementation
intentions and parent-
child contract
agreements [2,3]
Language: ‘everyday
foods’ and ‘sometimes’
foods (no ‘bad’ foods’)
[4]
1 2
3 4

7. 7
Lunch boxes
really matter

8. 8
The school day
is a blackhole
for mums
The lunch box gives
mums a connection with
their kids day

9. 9
The ultimate lunch covers everything
with a positive feedback loop
My best lunch is when I packed
a slinky apple, carrot sticks,
cheese stick, water bottle,
vegemite sandwich, crackers
and a Freddo frog as a treat. I
also put a little note on each of
my daughters food telling her
that I loved her or to remember
to catch the bus or how much I
miss her - she loved it!”
Vanessa, 39

10. 10
The
lunch
box is a
pressure
point for
mums

11. 11
Mums are under
pressure to perform

12. 12
1 The school day is
a ‘black hole’ for
mums
3 And it can be a
powerful positive
feedback loop
We know that …
2 The lunch box is their
way to communicate
in the ‘black hole’
4 But it is a pressure
point for mums: high
expectations

13. 13
We set out
to explore
what’s in
the lunchbox
So …
To find out
what’s
really going
in as mums
pack lunch
Identify the
opportunities
to get in the
lunchbox

14. 14
What we did

15. 15
Research background
Survey across
1,081 mums
with kids aged
6-15 years
National
511+
lunchbox
photos
Over
Oct/Nov

16. 16
Mums are
the ‘CLO’

17. 17
Mums are still the chief lunch officer (‘CLO’)
Mums
make more
than 9 out
of 10
lunches
Chief lunch officer (%)
Mainly me 82
Me and my partner
share it
9
Its shared around
(kid(s) and us)
5
Mainly my kid(s) 3
Mainly my
partner/another adult
1
No one - they usually
get lunch elsewhere
0
Only 10%
of dads
involved in
making
lunch for
their kids
Dad’s are
mostly
absent from
lunchbox
duty

18. 18
And when dads do lunch it can be
disappointing…
He leaves out the love....
Sounds crazy but he will
just do a Vegemite
sandwich where I will do
ham and salad and
some muffins I bake and
nice fruit like blueberries
or strawberries” Andi, 41
Dads lunch Mums lunch

19. 19
Balance
Feels the tension
between duty (giving
something healthy)
and desire
(indulging)
‘I packed some fruit for
the nutrition and Tiny
Teddies as a treat’
Sallie-Ann, 32
Different types of mums
Indulge
Every experience is
an opportunity to
indulge and delight
kids
‘I included chips,
squeezy yoghurt and a
LCM bar as snack
because I know they like
these things and will eat
them.’ Libby, 32
Control
Be able to juggle all the
boxes and tick every
box (health, fun, variety,
easy, etc.)
‘I pack popcorn as a
healthier alternative to
chips, fruit for crunch and
sip and sometimes include
2 apples for later in the
day, in case they get
hungery. Also, a muesli bar
for a snack at recess and
sultanas another fruit
option’ Clarinda, 31

20. 20
Making the lunch is a
chore for many mums

21. 21
We asked
“In three
words tell us
about school
lunches”
51% of all
mums use
negative words
when describing
packing lunches

22. 22
We didn’t realise quite how
much angst the thought of a
lunch box generated!
1 Boring/tedious/repetitive
2 Stressful? Choices/what to make?
3 Rushed, in a hurry
4 … and NUTRITIONALLY good!

23. When is lunch packed? (%)
23
Mums are trying to be as organised as possible
• The packing is mostly on
the day
• However, most routines
actually overlap between
night before and on the day
itself (i.e. fresh on the day,
drink bottles night before):
“Sandwiches or 'main part'
night before done by me
and kids add fruit and
choose a snack in the
morning and add to
lunchbox.” Merryn, 44
29
69
2
0
Night before
On the day
Bulk in advance & frozen
Bought

24. Lunch packing routine (%)
24
Mums build routines to ‘tackle’ the task
Mums who pack the same
lunch box every day
prioritise convenience and
affordability
Most mums have a
routine by try to vary it
over the week
Brand Opportunity:
Make it easy to be
part of their routine
28
41
18
13
Similar lunchbox every day
Varied routine
No set routine
Variety daily

25. 2525
I’d like to be a little more
creative. The lunches have
become very very
repetitive. It's been nearly
2 years with the same thing
so I'm trying to be a little
different
Sam, 34

26. 26
Opportunity for lunch box
sales during weekend
trade especially on a
Sunday as identified on
Nielsen
Mums are buying ahead
for the week – a need for
multi packs and variety
packs, or products they
can easily put in the
lunch box containers
Lunch boxes are still a planned routine
Lunch planning routine (%)
61
33
5
1
During weekly shop
No plan - use what we have
Daily
Use lunch orders

27. 27
Mums are trying to put
love in the lunch box

28. 28
“I usually include a letter
from mum in their
lunchbox because they
love their special message
every day”.
Catherine, 54

29. 29

30. 30
79% agree they include treats as a
reminder that mum is thinking of
them
On special days makes it even
more important, sick, exams,
unhappy,
Frequency of treating varies by the
mum type (e.g. every two weeks or
daily)
Treats act as a virtual hug
I hide the treat
under his sandwich
and I imagine his
surprise when
he opens the lunch
box. Pam, 42
Children love to
have a special treat
in their lunch boxes.
Something that they
love. Jo, 31

31. 31
It’s about
the thought and
the things you put
into the lunch box
that puts in the ‘love’
from mum
Brand opportunity:
make it easy for
mums to personalise
the lunchbox

32. 32
Rejection
from kids
“Some days
regardless of
the effort gone
into making
healthy and
nutritious
snacks a lot
comes home!”
Katrina, 34
BUT Mums aren’t
getting payback for
lunch box love
Kids saying
the lunch
wasn’t good
enough
Brand opportunity:
help make mum’s
appreciated; champion
lunch box love!
Kids’ changing
tastes
“My son doesn't
like Vegemite and
cheese anymore.”
Kimberley, 39
Health
expectation
“Pack a
healthy lunch
box. Teachers
tend to roam
and comment
on lunches
packed.”
Amanda, 35
Yes
35%
No
65%

33. 33
What matters
most to mums
is that they
will eat it
(and its as healthy
as possible)

34. 34
Mums are
pragmatic –
kids need
to eat it
91
88
72
72
67
66
62
54
53
47
43
41
38
31
31
27
21
20
15
6
3
It's something my kid will eat
It's healthy
It fills him/her up
It's nutritious
It's something easy and quick for me to put together
It's affordable
There's enough variety to keep things interesting
It gives them sustained energy
It's something fresh
It's low in sugar
Price
It doesn't set off other kids allergies
It doesn't have too much packaging
It has ingredients that I can identify
Available to buy in multipacks
It's a fun treat, cheers them up
It's school-approved/endorsed
It's low in fat
It has a small number of ingredients
It's made of organic ingredients
It's gluten-free
#1 priority is that
kids will eat it
(91%)
#2 is all about
health and nutrition

35. 35
Health

36. 36
Mums are proud
when they make
healthy lunches
‘My daughters latest
school report had a
note for me
Congratulating me
on ALWAYS sending
my daughter with a
healthy lunchbox.
That felt AMAZING!’
Katy, 27

37. 37
Despite prioritising it, mums don’t
see their lunches as healthy
On average, mums rate their own
lunches 3.4 healthy stars
There is underlying tension
between what mums wants and
what they deliver in terms of
healthy lunch boxes
The health paradox
1.5
Health Rating
3.0
Health Rating
5.0
Health Rating

38. Love lunches
Fun first Pre-packaged No fruit or veg
3+ fruit and veg Forgotten protein
Ultimate bento
How mums rated their lunches
31
4
3.5
3.54
3.5

39. Two key factors may influence ratings
Calories vs. GI vs. nutrition? Nutrition vs. love
Six Ninja rice balls
Varying
health literacy
What’s healthier?
The ultimate
feedback
Would mums change
their rating if it came
back uneaten?
3.5 3 Variety of pre-packed

40. 40
Most mums (61%) are
at best ok or not happy
with the lunches they
make
Feedback loop 35% said
something came home in
the lunch box yesterday
The health
paradox
3
36
46
13
2
Very happy
Quite happy
Ok with them
Not very happy with them
Not at all happy with them

41. 41
Brand
opportunity
to help
mums
move
up the
lunch
hierarchy
to feel
successful
Will eat it
Healthy/
nutrition
Variety
Creative
Fun
Don’t feel
successful unless
these
Fail if not these

42. 42
Mums are confused by food
labelling and don’t trust it

43. 43
Confusion around
food labels and claims
Mums don’t trust
labels and are
confused about
health claims: we
are seeing the
rejection of
marketing
“I want my
lunch boxes
to be healthier
(less sugar &
salts) but it’s
hard to trust
labels.”
Rachel, 25
5
36
25
30
5
I trust them a lot I trust them a bit
Im not sure I dont really trust them
I dont trust them at all
60% are
unsure or
untrusting of
food labels or
claims
Ongoing
research across
Social Soup
shows a trend
as mums see
claims and
marketing as
‘dirty’ words.
Brands need to
build more trust.

44. Is this also fuelling a rejection of
‘packaged’ food/drinks?
44
“I work full time and I think i should be
getting rid of a lot of the 'packaged' snacks
and replacing them with fresh fruit and
veggies and get a bit creative! Sometimes
it is the time factor grab food stuff it in the
lunch box & run!”
“ I do rely on packaged foods more often
that I should and I worry about the sugar
content in these.”
“Involving a lot less packaged
stuff would surely be an
improvement. My kids raid
the boxes in the pantry which
is easy but not my best
parenting at all.”

45. 45
Mums aspire to variety

46. 46
“I’d love some variety!
Something different to get my
kids excited to open their
lunchbox at school so they
enjoy what they are given”
Kristen, 23

47. 47
“It makes me feel
inadequate as a
mum cause my
lunches are boring”
Sylvia, 43

48. 48
Mums are trying to add new things to the
lunch box frequently
“Each night at 8pm I pack my child's lunch
box. I make sure it's something different
everyday so it's a variety.” Lydia, 24
“Everyday I make fresh sandwiches and
try to find something interesting healthy
and yummy for snacks (little lunch). It is
hard to please everyone and they all want
something different“ Ellie, 36
Frequency (%)
8
29
30
25
6
2
Daily - gotta mix things up!
Couple of times a week
At least once a week
Couple of times a month
Less often
Almost never
Brand opportunity: make
it easier for mums to mix
it up: give them ideas

49. 49
Why is variety so
important
More interesting for kids
Nutritionally balanced/mix
Success as a parent if they
eat variety
I would like to give
him more variety
and more nutrition
for a growing boy. I
worry I'm not giving
him what he needs
Kelly, 29

50. 50
Time/rush
Lack ideas/inspiration
Kids are fussy, won’t try new
things
Why don’t they
achieve it?
If my kids weren't so
fussy I would opt for
more variety in their
lunchbox and I would
love more ideas as
quite often i feel like I
run out of ideas
Jas, 31

51. Three big ways they see
to make their lunches better
51
“I wish I could be
inventive and had
tips to make my kids
try different things
I feel like I’ve fallen
into a lunch
slump....”
Healthier More Variety/Options Increase homemade
“I want to find
something
new that's
healthier and
my child
enjoys.”
“If I had more time
I could make
more homemade
meals to include
in her lunch box.”

52. 52
What is in the
lunch box

53. 53
Traditional Middle mix Gone to town
Brand opportunity:
Make it easy to step up from traditional

54. 54
Lunch still
dominated by
sandwiches

55. 55
*Note: each are less than 1% e.g. croissant,
doughnut, pizza, sushi, quiche, antipasto, just ham
and cheese, salami sticks and cheese)
Lunch they are having …
6212
11
5
2
8
Sandwiches
Bread roll
Wrap
Crackers eg Saladas
Salad
Other*
Brand
opportunity:
get in the
sandwich!

56. 56
Water is
the
mainstay
for drinks
with
some
usage of
juices

57. 57
A big
variety of
snacks
dominated
by fruit
with bars,
cheese,
biscuits,
crackers
appearing
as variety

58. 58
94%
pack fruits
On average,
packing 2 types
of fruit in the
lunchbox
Snacks
86%
include at least one
packaged item
in the lunchbox
(38% include 1, 26% include 2,
17% include 3, 6% include 4+)
63%
make
homemade
snacks to
put in lunches

59. 59
Apple 22%
Carrot 13%
Banana 9%
Strawberries 7%
Cucumber 7%
Orange 6%
Pear 3%
Grapes 3%
Celery 3%
Watermelon 3%
Mandarin 3%
Blueberries 3%
Tomato 2%
Capsicum 1%
Kiwi 1%
Rockmelon 1%
Cherry 1%
Sultanas 1%
Mango 1%
Nectarine 1%
Corn 1%
Snow peas 1%
Olives 1%
Berries 1%
Pineapple 1%
Mushroom <1%
Mulberry <1%
Almond <1%
Beans <1%
Peach <1%
Avocado <1%
Raspberry <1%
13%
22%
9%

60. 60
Brands in the
lunch box

61. Its mostly
generic:
very few
brands
61

62. 62
Vegemite
is the only
‘brand’
with
significant
mentions

63. 63
Top 10 brands in the lunchbox
Uncle Toby's
Tiny Teddies
Le Snak
Sakatas
Arnotts Shapes
Coles
Smiths Chips
Chobani
Jatz
Corn Thins
The lunch box is very fragmented for
branded products
All brands in
the single
figures

64. 64
Influence: How to get
in the lunch box

65. Top 3 sources are
WOM: people powered
Sources of lunchbox inspiration
65
61
57
46
41
37
32
27
23
22
21
20
18
18
11
8
3
My kids
Other mums
Social media
In-store promotions
Recipe websites
Magazines
Cookbooks
Pinterest
Catalogues
TV
Online reviews
Websites
My kids friends
Blogs
Somewhere else
Dietician/doctor
WOM
You have to win the WOM war
Path to purchase
You need good presence around food
purchasing and preparation/planning
Life
and then TV is 10th at 21%
… just ahead of my kids friends on 18%

66. 66
58% had kids ask
for something they
have seen in their
friends’ lunch
boxes
1 in 2 mums
have ended up
buying it for them
(53%)
Kids have mums listening to them
NO
42%
YES
58%
NO
42%
Didn’t get it for them 28%
Got it
for them
31%
Kids asking
for something
in friends’
lunchbox
(%)
Gave kids
what they
asked for
(%)

67. 67
Huge variety of sources –
could partners with smaller
sources and get good
coverage:
29% Facebook Friends
21% Facebook Brand Pages
18% Facebook Groups
15% Instagram
Social Media/
Digital Sources

68. 68
Lunch Box
Trends

69. 6969
“Definitely Bento style
lunches. Nude food
presented to look
pleasing to the young eye.
'Food art' I guess you
could call it.”
Allison 33

70. 70

71. 71
They want brands to
help them sneak in
some health by stealth
“I would like to give variety possibly some
hidden nurtients etc always welcome I love
v8 juice for that reason”
“I would really like to offer them a lot more
variety. I'd love to find a way to sneak some
more vegies in”
“I'd love to include some stealthily healthy
ideas - because my kids can sniff out 'good
for you' a mile away!”

72. 72
Mums are starting to think
about protein and other ways
to get it in the lunchbox
“I want
something
different a
healthy protein
to keep them
full”
“Healthier
protein fill them
up they
actually eat it!”
Protein to become
a bigger influence
“Thermomix
creations such
as protein
balls”

73. 73
In summary

74. 1. Mums are still the clear Chief Lunch
Officer
2. Putting ‘love’ in the lunch box is about
thought and things, brands have a role to
make it easy
3. Most important for mums is that kids are
eating and then they want healthy
4. Variety is a key aspiration for mums and
brands can help them to achieve it
5. Mums are most proud of lunches that have
it all (health, variety) and add fun/treat
leading to a positive feedback loop
In Summary

75. Thank you.
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CEO, Founder