Back to school bites … easy ideas to help you fill their lunchbox
It’s that time of year, the school holidays are winding up and the kids are heading back to school, some of them for the first time. Preparing school lunches can be anxiety-inducing for even the most experienced parents. To help you get organised for the school year ahead we’ve detailed our top five tips for lunchbox prep.
1. Pre-prepare as much as you can – some fruits can be peeled, cut, and stored in the refrigerator for as long as a week, giving you more time to get the kids out of the door and off to school. See some examples below:
Apples – Slice apples and soak them in lightly salted water for approximately 5 minutes. Once they have finished soaking, drain them and rinse with cool water. Pop the apple in an airtight container and place some damp paper towel on top. They will keep like this in the fridge for up to three days.
Carrot and cucumber sticks – we’ve been using this hack for our summer platter preparation, and we think it’s perfect for lunchbox season too. Peel the carrots and then cut them and the cucumber into sticks. Put them in an airtight container and fill the container with enough cold water to cover the carrots and cucumber. Ensure you change the water every day to maintain freshness and they will last for up to five days.
2. The freezer is your friend – did you know that you can freeze whole sandwiches and pop them in the fridge to defrost before you need them? Be sure to include ingredients that freeze well such as butter, tasty cheese, ham, chicken, or turkey. Another great summer snack is frozen oranges. Simply cut them into quarters and freeze them with the skin on then put into lunchboxes. Delicious! For older children frozen grapes are also a tasty treat, but remember that they are a choking hazard so aren’t appropriate for small children.
3. Eggs-ellent eggs – hard-boiled eggs are a great source of protein and a tasty snack to include in your little one’s lunchbox. You can boil them and leave them unpeeled in an airtight container in the refrigerator for approximately five days. When you need one just grab it, peel it, and pop it into the lunchbox.
4. You’ve got to love yoghurt – yoghurt pouches are a great way to serve dairy and keep your child’s lunch box free from mess. Grab pre-filled pouches from the grocer or check out the great range of reusable and refillable pouches on the market. You can also freeze the pouches and get them to serve double duty as a snack and a lunchbox freezer block. As lunchtime approaches your child will find the yoghurt has mostly melted, and if it hasn’t it will be a yummy frozen yoghurt treat.
5. On a roll – to maximise lunchbox space try “sushi sandwiches”. Simply roll a slice of bread with a rolling pin (or an empty wine bottle) and add your spreads or chosen filling. Grab one side of the bread and roll it up as you would with sushi. Slice it into bite-sized pieces and add it to the lunchbox. You’ll find these take up much less space giving you extra room for more tasty morsels.
