More Lunch Box Ideas
The ideas below are a result of our parent's brainstorming healthy eating ideas at our first workshop.
Contents:
Healthy Lunch Ideas
Healthy Snacks - After School
Healthy Snacks - At School
Presentation and Hints
Time savers
Healthy Lunch Ideas
1. Rice or noodles with veggies/meat
2. Sandwiches with fillings: avocado, reduced fat cheese, egg, cucumber, grated carrot, tomato (cut tomato and place in container to be added at lunch to avoid soggy sandwich)
3. Fill puff pastry with vegetables (peas, corn, spinach, ricotta, tuna, reduced fat cheese)
4. Chapati (roti) wrap with chicken, fish, veggies
5. Sushi with avocado, tuna, salmon, chicken, tofu, egg
6. Grilled BBQ chicken or meat with vegetables
7. Homemade pizza (can use pita bread)
8. Homemade pasta and sauce (with meat balls)
9. Fish patties or balls (add grated veggies)
10. Use lean cold meats in sandwiches.
Healthy Snacks - After School
1. Grilled fruit or veggies on sticks (kebabs)
2. Grilled cheese and tomato on toast (can cut into variety of shapes with cookie cutters e.g. stars)
3. Sushi
4. Quiche
5. Wraps with vegetables and chicken
6. Smoothies with fruit, yoghurt, reduced fat ice cream, honey, ice and milk
7. Puree fruit and make fruit ice blocks
8. Homemade pizza
9. Fruit salad with reduced fat custard or yoghurt
10. Fruit or savory muffins
11. Pancakes with fruit inside
12. Homemade soup (veggies, beans, pumpkin, chicken and corn)
13. Scrambled eggs with added veggies
14. Homemade banana bread or fruit scones
15. Homemade dips and pita (bake pita in oven with paprika to make crispy)
16. Homemade pies (small size)
17. Homemade fruit stews/compote
18. Homemade popcorn
19. Handful of nuts
20. Freeze fruit e.g. frozen grapes are yum.
21. Baked potato or baked sweet potato and veggies/ reduced fat cheese on top.
22. Raisin toast
Healthy Snacks – At School
1. Sliced veggies (carrots, cucumber, celery) with homemade dip (hummus, yoghurt, avocado, reduced fat mayonnaise)
2. Corn on the cob
3. Potato salad with reduced fat cheese, reduced fat cream and herbs on top (oregano, parsley). Add egg or tuna for extra protein
4. Canopy with veggies, chicken or seafood filling
5. Fruit cubes or slices with a dash of lemon to prevent browning
6. Cutlets with fish, veggie (beet root, potato, peas, carrot, beans, spinach) or chicken
7. Spring or rice paper rolls (veggie or meat/fish)
8. Small wraps with lettuce, figs, reduced fat cheese, reduced fat mayonnaise, olives, chicken, tomato etc.
9. Boiled legumes with salt, pepper or herbs
10. Quiche (hot or cold) with vegetables or meat/fish
11. Tub of reduced fat yoghurt (freeze overnight)
12. Reduced fat cheese cubes or BabyBel cheese (easy to eat)
13. Hardboiled egg
14. Multigrain crackers.
Presentation and Hints
1. Make it colourful
2. Reduce the size
3. Use a variety of shapes
4. Boil, mash and mix
5. Make it appealing and inviting
6. Small portions of a variety of food
7. Use colourful and fancy shaped dishes
8. Add honey and fruits to multi-grain cereals
9. Cut sandwiches into different shapes or change style from usual
10. Make a zebra sandwich using a piece of whole meal/wholegrain and white bread
11. Integrate vegetables with flour and roll it into small sized pita bread
12. Make happy faces on pizzas using olives, tomatoes etc
13. Use cheese, ham and veggies in a sandwich so kids have a balanced meal by having proteins, carbohydrates, minerals etc in a single meal
14. When packing lunches, place soft items in containers to avoid squashing it e.g. banana or pears
(Please label your children’s containers!).
Time savers
1. Have a shopping list
2. Use leftovers for lunch
3. Use small and easy to open containers
4. Freeze food
5. Prepare fillings in the morning
6. Make extra servings and freeze leftovers
7. Cut up and wash vegetables and store in container in fridge for easy access
8. Use reusable zip lock bags
9. Buy in bulk
10. Buy from farmers markets – food lasts longer
11. Use seasonal produce
12. Get your children involved in making lunches and making their own choices
13. Create a picture menu and get your kids choose what they want to have in their lunch each day
14. Plan ahead – plan your lunches and dinners.
Images: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
