A U.K. health and fitness coach is going viral after sharing exactly what he packs for his 3-year-old son’s lunch.
Jake Avery (@jakecjavery) posted a clip on TikTok running through the contents of his son’s daycare lunchbox, which included a sliced chicken sandwich, banana, Babybel, fruit and a slice of homemade lemon drizzle cake.
Avery told Newsweek that he wanted to show, despite his profession, his children eat very similarly to other kids.
“Most people think health and fitness coaches should be feeding their kids wholegrains, kale, salads and extremely high protein when realistically, they just need a normal lunchbox,” he said.
When putting his son’s lunch together, Avery prioritizes practicality over perfection. The food needs to stay safe to eat until lunchtime, be easy for a toddler to manage and provide enough fuel for a day of running around. That’s why he opts for ham-style processed chicken, rather than fresh cuts that could spoil and includes fruit for fiber.
“It’s got to be enough,” Avery said. “Enough calories because he’s running around all day. I don’t want him to go hungry—I’d rather him come home with more food.”
The father of two is also keen to challenge the stigma around so-called processed foods. While he acknowledged that less processed foods can be more nutrient-dense, he stressed that energy—calories—is energy, regardless of the source.
Processed foods, he explained, are often digested more quickly, but they still provide the fuel growing children need. “If he eats it and it gives him calories and energy, then I’m happy with that,” he said.
Avery’s clip went viral on TikTok, amassing 1.4 million views. In the comments, many other parents were grateful to see a more realistic approach to a kids’ lunchbox.
“Finally, a normal lunchbox!” one user wrote.
“I think that’s well balanced—a bit of each food group in there for him,” another added.
“Some parents act like their kids are lifting weights five times a week and need to eat protein like an Olympian. Children need energy [and] carbs,” a third user wrote.
Others, on the other hand, were more critical. Some questioned the inclusion of white bread, processed and “junk” food.
In the comments, Avery replied: “It will be better for him long term to know no food should be off limits.”
Avery didn’t expect such a big response online. “I thought I’d just help out my audience, which is mostly parents, and show them that the way I plan my kids’ lunchbox is very similar to theirs,” he said. “For it to do over 1.5 million views across platforms, I was in shock.”