It is back to school for the year 2018.
With the dawn of the new school year, mums everywhere are trying to fill their kids lunch boxes with healthy, new, different and exciting lunches. Especially for those kids starting school for the first time, like my son, it would be imperative to make their lunches extra special and fun.
This post provides some great easy lunch ideas, and recipes from social media during the past year.
Remember to keep your kids lunches exciting and full of surprises. They will definitely come home with empty boxes at the end of the day!
It’s important to try and include most of the essential food groups in your child’s lunch box.
Proteins, dairy, fruit and vegetables should be present daily to ensure your child is ingesting a healthy diet. Don’t introduce too many new flavours too quickly, which might result in them turning away from those ingredients altogether. Try adding a new fruit or vegetable every 2 weeks, alternating with their favourites, which will make them eager to try new stuff.
Hope you enjoy this post and try out some of the fun recipes !!
Yum
Print
Avocado and Boiled Egg on Toast
This is a simple and delicious lunch or after school idea. Most kids are not keen on avocado, especially if its not laden with sugar, but the addition of the boiled egg makes it interesting. The key is to create a guacamole, which is nutritious, and also super creamy.
Simply, slice up some of your kids favourite bread/rolls, butter lightly. Boil a few eggs for 5 minutes, if they like them runny, or for 10 minutes, for hard boiled. Mash up an avocado, with sour cream, salt and pepper and a handful of grated cheese. Smear onto the toasted bread, and top with sliced boiled egg.
Mini Flatbread Pizzas
These are super simple and delicious. Which kid does not love pizza, except my 3 year old (he hates it).
In a small mixing bowl, combine 3 tblsp self raising flour, 1 tsp olive oil and a little salt. Add in 2 tblsp yoghurt and knead to form a dough. Roll out 2 oval flatbreads, and place on a hot griddle, for about 5 minutes on each side. These are ready to top with your kids favourite toppings….
Topping Ideas :
- Tomato pesto
- Salaami
- Shredded chicken
- roast beef
- scrambled egg
- roast veggies, butternut and sweet potato
- assorted cheeses
Chicken Pastry Pinwheels
I posted this recipe previously on the blog and they still remain a household lunchbox favourite.
You will need :
- 1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry
- 2 tblsp tomato pesto
- 2 tblsp sour cream
- 1/4 cup shredded chicken
- 1/4 onion, chopped
- sliced red pepper
- handful of spinach leaves
- 6 mini tomatoes, quartered
- 1/2 cup grated cheese
Directions :
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celcius.
Heat a little oil in a pan, saute the onion, peppers, tomatoes and spinach. Add in the chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Combine the pesto and sour cream.
Place the puff pastry on a clean surface, smear the pesto mixture, spoon the chicken and veggie mixture. Sprinkle over the cheese. Starting from one end, roll up the pastry into a swiss roll. Freeze for about 30 minutes. Remove and slice into 2cm slices and place onto a tray.
Bake for about 20 minutes until golden and allow to crispen in a switched off oven.
Serve with sauce of your choice.
Spicy Indian Egg Bread
This is an all time traditional favourite. These formed part of my lunchbox during my school years.
Cut 6 slices of bread in half, and set aside.
Whisk 6 eggs into a dish and add 1 tblsp water. Add, 1/2 tsp garlic paste, a little green chillies, 1/2 tsp cumin/coriander mix, 1 tsp salt and a dash of turmeric. Add in some chopped coriander. Heat shallow oil in a pan. Dip bread in the mixture quickly and then into the oil. Allow to brown on both sides. Serve immediately with ketchup or spicy chutney.
Turkish Pide
A pide is just a fancy boat-shaped pizza originating from Turkey. Kids will be impressed with the shape and you could probably include some extra veggies, whilst distracting them with the shape.
Basic Yeast Dough :
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp yeast
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 2 tblsp butter
- warm water to form a dough
Allow to rise for a few hours and then its ready to use.
Roll out small balls into oval shapes, fold the edges over and pinch the ends. Fill the middle with a pizza sauce, filling of your choice, top with cheese, rosa tomatoes and fried onion.
Bake at 180 degrees until light brown. Serve warm with sauce of your choice.
Pastrami Wraps
Wholewheat or multigrain wraps are great to fill with healthy raw veggies and cooked meats. Go wild with fillings like thai chicken with slaw and edamame, or roast beef with shredded salad and hummus. The possibilities are endless, so have fun !!
Cheesy Chicken Stromboli
This savoury roll up looks so attractive once baked, your kids will love the unusual look yet it will be a familiar taste.
Use the basic yeast dough that I posted above, and follow these simple directions.
Mini Burgers and Pulled Thai Chicken Slaw Sliders
Kids love these as they are bite size and super yummy. Use ready made mini burger buns. You could use ready made mini patties (from Desais meats) or make your own. Slice buns, butter lightly, place cooked patties, caramelised onions and your kids favourite sauces.
I love using portugese rolls for the thai sliders. Simply, marinate chicken strips with salt, pepper, thai spice, red chilli paste and soy sauce. Prepare the slaw with shredded lettuce, carrot and purple cabbage. Stir fry the strips quickly. Fill the rolls with slaw, chicken, sriracha mayonnaise and crunchy salted peanuts.
Steak Wreath
Using the basic dough again, simply follow these directions to create a beautiful filled wreath.
For the steak filling, I just sautéed some sliced onion, mushrooms and peppers and added leftover steak and some sauces.
Fried Macaroni and Cheese Fingers
If you have ever tasted the fried mac and cheese balls from Cheesecake factory overseas, then you will love these, and they are so much simpler to make.
Freeze ready made/homemade macaroni and cheese in a tray for about 30 minutes. Slice into fingers and dunk into flour, coat in beaten egg and breadcrumbs. Shallow fry in hot oil until crispy and golden on all sides. Serve hot with a marinara sauce or plain ‘ol ketchup.
