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TikTok’s Lunchbox Craze Pressures Parents to Impress this September

by | Sep 4, 2025 | Food, Trending

TikTok’s Lunchbox Craze Pressures Parents to Impress this September

TikTok’s Lunchbox Craze Pressures Parents to Impress this September

  • As kids head back to school, parents are experiencing newfound social media-driven pressures, with 43% of parents saying they feel pressure to make their child’s lunchbox look more aesthetically pleasing
  • The average parent now forks out £120 per child each month, equating to a whopping £1,440 a year on lunchboxes alone
  • To ease the financial pressure on parents, Ocado’s Big Savings Event brings genuine savings across common household favourites this September
3rd September 2025 Social media is causing under-pressure parents to spend thousands of pounds on their children’s packed meals in an effort to keep up with the latest trends, new research from Ocado has revealed.
Ocado surveyed over 2,000 UK parents and found that over half (54%) have changed how they put together their child’s lunch box based on a trend they’ve seen on social media, with the same number (54%) admitting they now spend longer making lunchboxes than they used to. 
With over 200,000 videos under the hashtag #lunchboxideas and creators such as @lunchboxdad garnering up to 1.5M views for his craft-themed boxes for kids’ packed lunches, it’s not surprising that parents are feeling the pressure. Almost half (49%) said they try to ensure they are providing nutritious options that their children will actually eat, whilst 45% admit they compare their child’s lunchbox to ones they see online or in the playground. 
But it seems parents aren’t just feeling the pressure, they’re paying for it too. Almost seven in ten (69%) admitted they’re spending more on packed lunches than two to three years ago. With the average cost per month coming in at £120 per child, that’s a whopping £1,440 a year and even more for those families with multiple children. Such is the pressure to keep up with peers that two in five parents (43%) have even cut back on other areas of household spending to accommodate.

Fancy Packed Lunch
As the kids head back to school this week, Ocado is committed to ensuring that the lunchtime prep doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. This September, the UK’s leading online-only grocer will once again be launching its Big Savings Event, where parents can access family-friendly offers on 1,000s of products.
This reflects the brand’s ongoing commitment to provide its customers with reassuringly good value as shown through the growth of its Ocado Own Range. Which now includes over 700 products, with more than 50 new products welcomed to the site this year alone.
Dan Elton, Chief Customer Officer at Ocado Retail, said: “We know parents have enough to juggle this September – and the pressure to make picture-perfect lunchboxes is only adding to it. At Ocado, we want to help parents focus on the things that really matter, feeding their children nutritious and varied lunches that don’t break the bank. 
That’s why we’re proud to have launched our Big Savings Event this month alongside continuing to increase our Ocado Own Range offering so that customers can enjoy good value produce without feeling like they need to compromise on quality.”
Throughout September, Ocado will also feature a series of recipes on Instagram, providing parents with inspiration for budget-friendly lunchboxes and easy mid-week meals that are sure to become family favourites.
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