Suggestions for Packing School Lunches

I have a few suggestions to make lunch time fun for your kids.

Freeze Sandwiches:
It is not only convenient but it also means that you can have an assortment of different sandwiches ready to go. Sliced or shaved cold meats and poultry, peanut butter, jam (jelly), cheese spreads and processed cheeses all freeze well and are perfect fillings when freezing sandwiches.

Alternate sandwiches with other foods such as:

Tortilla roll ups – spread a tortilla with peanut butter or peanut butter and jelly, roll up then slice into 1″ pieces to make pinwheels. You could also spread it with cream cheese and add a slice of ham or chicken, or layer with spreadable cheese and various vegetables, roll it up and pack it into the lunch box.

Rice cakes – serve plain or spread with peanut butter, vegemite (for the Aussie’s) or cheese spread.

Pita pocket – fill pita pockets with cheese, ham and pineapple, chicken, tomato and lettuce.

Cheese quesadillas – sandwich shredded cheese in between two tortillas. Heat in the microwave until cheese is melted. Let it cool and then pack in to the lunchbox. Mini pizzas – spread tomato paste or spaghetti sauce onto a toasted english muffin, sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese and any other toppings you like. Heat under the grill for a minute or two until cheese is bubbly. Let it cool and pack in the lunchbox.

Some more great lunchbox ideas are:

uncooked 2 minute noodles (ramen type noodles),
crackers spread with cheese spread or peanut butter,
cold leftover pizza,
corn on the cob,
cold baked potatoes,
savoury muffins,
quiche or frittata,
leftover roast vegetables,
vegetable sticks and dip,
coleslaw/salads,
baked beans,
potato salad,
fruit bread,
frozen fruit pieces,
canned fruit (in natural juice)

School lunches should be as healthy as possible but let your kids have the occasional store bought “snack” to pack in their lunch box, this will make them happy and they will be more likely to eat the “good” food you pack for them.