Spring Crunch & Sip

Bento Buds - 10 spring Crunch and Sip combos
Spring Edition

Ten fresh fruit-and-veg combos to keep the mid-morning break interesting all spring long - plus the plastic-free box to pack them in.

First up - what's the deal with Crunch & Sip?

If your child is at school, chances are you're packing a "Crunch & Sip" (or "Munch & Crunch") most mornings - even if nobody has ever really explained why.

Here's the idea. Once a day, usually mid-morning, children take a short break right at their desks to eat some fresh fruit or veg and sip water. That small top-up helps them concentrate, stay hydrated, and build healthy habits that stick.

The Crunch&Sip® program runs in primary schools right across Australia. It's here to tackle three things:

Better focus

A top-up of fresh food and a few key vitamins helps kids dodge the mid-morning slump, so they can concentrate and take more in.

Warmer days, more water

As the weather turns, kids lose more fluid than they realise. Regular sips head off the headaches and grumpiness before they start.

More fruit and veg, less fuss

Most kids don't hit their recommended daily serves. A regular break makes fresh whole foods feel normal, just part of the day, not a battle.

One thing to know: Crunch & Sip means fresh fruit and veg only. No dried fruit, no dairy, no muesli bars. So the real challenge for us parents is keeping it interesting five days a week, which is where a good combo comes in.

The top 10 spring Crunch & Sip combos

Spring is the easiest season to pack for. Berries are back, the first mangoes have landed, and the peas and cucumbers are at their sweetest. Ten pairings to make the most of it.

1
Snow peas + strawberriesSpring's two headline crops in one box. Strawberries hit their peak (and their best price) in September, and snow peas bring a sweet crunch. 
2
Cucumber + watermelonBoth are around 90% water, which is exactly what you want as the mornings warm up.
3
Carrot + Valencia orangeBeta-carotene meets vitamin C. Valencias are the spring orange - juicier and sweeter than the winter navels.
4
Cherry tomato + Lebanese cucumberThe savoury option for kids who aren't fruit fans, with a bit of lycopene (antioxidants) from the tomatoes. Halve the tomatoes for under-5s.
5
Sugar snap peas + blueberriesProtein and fibre for steady energy against a hit of antioxidants. Australian blueberries start coming through from late spring.
6
Capsicum + pineappleA double vitamin C hit, and Queensland pineapple season is just getting started in September. Sweet and savoury in the same snack box.
7
Celery + mangoMango season kicks off in September with the Kensington Prides. Celery is mostly water and pure crunch, so it balances out all that sweetness.
8
Cucumber + rockmelonRockmelon is one of the few fruits that brings beta-carotene as well as vitamin C, and mild cucumber stops it being a straight sugar hit.
9
Carrot + gold kiwiGold kiwi beats both green kiwi and orange for vitamin C, and carrot is the crunch veg that never lets you down. 
10
Capsicum + strawberriesTwo of spring's best-value buys, and both actually out-do an orange for vitamin C. Red capsicum is the sweetest of the bunch - a good first step for kids who say they don't like it.

Now to give those combos a good home

You've packed them full of all the good stuff. Now keep the nasties out with a plastic-free snack box.

These combos are made for the Bento Buds snack box collection. The two compartments keep everything separate and looking good, so it lands on the desk just as fresh as it left home. And spring brings the juicy stuff - melon, mango, berries - so the seal earns its keep.

Because it's built right, you don't have to think twice:

  • Plastic-free - no plastic touching your child's food
  • Food-grade stainless steel - built to last through multiple school years
  • Removable silicone seal - low-tox, leakproof and easy to clean
  • Personalised - laser engraved with their name and a fun icon, no more labels to replace
Pink Bento Buds large snack box Purple Bento Buds large snack box Blue Bento Buds large snack box Green Bento Buds large snack box

No plastic. No compromises. No second guessing.

Just healthy snacks your little legends will actually open and eat.

Shop the snack box range