Arrrrrrhhgggh Lunch Box Ideas!!!

It’s that time again, kids back at school, we are  back at work so it’s time to mix things up a bit whilst keeping things as simple easy and straightforward as possible. So here’s my Lunch Box ideas 

Now this is from the Government website:

Preparing your child’s lunchbox

A balanced packed lunch should contain:

starchy foods – these are bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and others

protein foods – including meat, fish, eggs, beans and others
a dairy item – this could be cheese or a yoghurt

vegetables or salad and a portion of fruit

Starchy foods are a good source of energy and should make up a third of the lunchbox. But don’t let things get boring.

My Lunch Box Ideas for a good pack-up: 

1. Invest in a bento box style Lunch box 

One with different compartments – keeps it fun having little compartments

2. Ask the kids to write down what they like.

 They could even give you a menu on a Saturday for the week ahead – that way they might just eat it!

3. Forget the boring sandwiches!

 I found some great alternatives – Warburton’s Thins (about £1 for 6 thins)

 BUT Cat and Van shapes – yes – such fun….. clearly the are available just square!

4. Use wraps

There are some nice smaller ones (mini)  like these Mission Deli Wraps (and they are Wheat & White)

Try filling with cream cheese & ham. Rolling like pinwheels and cutting into 4 – that way mouth size and delicious.

If your kids like hummus, avocado, grated carrot,  you can roll with this too, roll anything – make them bite size!

5. Avoid peanut butter and any nut spreads – j

Just to dangerous to have at school (allergens) and best avoided in my view

6.  It’s really easy to make a little extra food at night for dinner.

Like chicken pasta and mix it with a few salad bits.  Give them a plastic spoon and they can eat it cold – then chuck the spoon. 

Try a slice of cold omelette or fritta or try my mini frittatas – easypeasylemonsqueezy – they are so good and nutritious cold. 

Make a tart or quiche for dinner then pack a leftover slice for lunch in the bento lunch box

9.Try fruits skewers

All kinds of fruits from pineapple pieces / grapes / pitted cherries etc

About 3 pieces on cocktail sticks are good.

You can also invest in some cheap plastic teaspoons – half cut trough a kiwi and they can then break it apart and use a spoon to eat it and just chuck the spoon away

10. The sweet stuff 

How about a cupcake or my carrot cake baked in mini loaf tins – see recipe opposite.

You could also bake some biscuits – or better still get the kids to make them

11. Then there’s the yoghurts perfect!

And in some of the Bento boxes there is a little tub with a screw on lid!

12. Other stuff 

Depending on if you like it, carrot sticks, feta , hummous, olives, hard boiled egg cut in fun shapes. Real cheese cut in squares to triangles – be imaginative (not those flipping imitation rubbish)  

How about home made potato crisps – great fun to make and the kids can pack them in bags etc.

You know what as well if your kids want a bag of crisps  (say once a week)  in their lunch box, why not?

Everything in moderation? Also there are some clever snacks out there made of whole grains anyway like Walkers Sunbites and Hoops & crosses, Twiglets – just moderation that’s all!

13. My final point 

Engage the kids – ask them to organise – get them to bake etc – get them to choose.

This way you have  half a chance that they will actually eat launch and enjoy it!

Let’s do lunch 🙂

Cheers Cx

Please use the ‘share with us’ to send me your ideas too

 

(Not sponsored)