Last Updated on 4 December 2022 by Colette
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If your child isn’t a fan of school dinners or the increasing costs put you off (we currently spend over £80 a month on school dinners and it’s only going to get more expensive for us when Amy hits the juniors!), then packed lunches are the only real alternative. But how do you make sure that they’re not boring and repetitive, are nutritionally balanced and aren’t a drain on your time?
Because packed lunches are a rare treat in our house – they generally consist of a butty, a packet of crisps, some fruit and a yogurt – however the team at Compass Fostering challenged us to think outside the (lunch) box this new year and come up with some great alternatives for your child’s packed lunches!
I think it can be really difficult to add variety to lunch boxes and keep things healthy when your main priority is to make sure that whatever you put in the lunch box gets eaten so that your child has enough energy to see them through the day – it can be a tricky balance to strike.
In each lunch box, we’ve tried to include foods from across the food groups – concentrating on trying to squeeze as many portions of fruit and veg in there as we can (remember a portion is the size of the palm of the child’s hand) as well as carbs and protein to keep them going throughout the school day. In each meal, we’ve included things we know they will eat, along with something that might be a bit braver. Alongside the main meals inside the box, I would usually also send along a yogurt and a biscuit. (Don’t forget a reusable bottle for a drink too!)
Frittata Fingers
One of my favourite things about frittata is that it’s quick and easy to make and you can put pretty much anything in it – so if your child is nervous about trying new things then you can start of with familiar favourites – perhaps a bit of bacon and some tomatoes or peas and then branch out to more exciting or adventurous ingredients . . . Essentially it’s a great way of using up what’s in your fridge and, because you can eat it hot or cold, you can make a nice big one, have some for tea and then pop the rest in the fridge for lunches!
Our kids love to see what Daddy has hidden in the frittata – they describe it as being a like a treasure hunt!
In this frittata we’ve snuck in potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, peas and bacon – there’s also some cheese in there for calcium! (You can find Dave’s basic frittata recipe here)
Pasta Salad
Pasta is cheap, filling and easy to cook – making it pretty much one of my favourite things to eat! My kids are just as happy to eat their pasta totally plain, with a bit of cheese sprinkled on, as they are with a sauce that has taken Dave ages to make! For lunches, a pasta salad with tuna and peas or sweetcorn is always well received and was in fact the first thing that Chloe suggested when I asked her what could we put in a packed lunch that wasn’t a sandwich! You can vary the pasta shapes for interest and start to add in different ingredients as your child’s tastes become more varied (or based on what you’ve got hanging around the fridge / freezer / store cupboard!).
This dish is super easy to make – once you’ve cooked the pasta, just leave it to one side to cool while you prepare the other ingredients – by which I mean opening packets and draining tuna. Equal parts Greek yogurt and mayonnaise just need mixing together before you chuck it all in together to coat the pasta. Don’t forget to send a fork in with this one!
The tuna contains omega 3 fatty acids as well as being a source of protein alongside the Greek yogurt and of course the peas / sweetcorn / tomatoes / whatever else you choose to add all helps towards the five a day target!
Alongside the pasta salad we’ve included Greek yogurt (to use up what was left from the pasta sauce) with both dried fruit and fresh fruit to sprinkle on.
Sausage and Potato Salad
Never mind the kids, I love a good potato salad – and what kid doesn’t love sausages? A sausage and potato salad feels like a bit of a treat – and can be made fairly plainly if your child isn’t confident with strong flavours, or you can add a little mustard or honey as I have in this one!
Part bake your sausages while you mix together good spoonful of honey with some wholegrain mustard – about half way through the cooking time, coat the sausages in the honey & mustard mixture. Once the sausages are cooked, remove them from the remaining honey & mustard mixture and allow them to cool before cutting into small chunks. Boil the potatoes (cut them into small chunks so that they cook faster and are easier to eat!) and then leave them to cool. Once everything is cooled, mix in a little Greek yogurt (you can add more honey / mustard to the yogurt according to taste!)
To up the fruit & veg portions in this lunch we’ve included veg sticks and hummus – I don’t know about you but I’m always happier to eat my veg if I’ve got something exciting to dip it in!
And, as a treat, a homemade cereal bar packed with oats, dried fruit and seeds – this is one of my favourites!
Have you got any favourites for quick and easy lunchboxes?
