school’s back! lunchbox inspiration from a mum of 3.

I know it seems a little daunting at first… lunchboxes. E’rry day.  For the next ‘x’ years…! But with a little guidance, inspiration and creative flair, this potentially tedious proposition can be fun and, allow us the opportunity to nourish and influence our children to eat well and keep them firing all day long.

Be prepared

If you have a range of core food choices in your fridge, fruit bowl and pantry, then you’re guaranteed to create nothing less than a nourishing, delicious lunchbox. Once a week, make time to shop and stock up on the essentials:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Fresh bread
• Rice cakes/corn thins
• Ingredients to make 2-3 nourishing sweet snacks
• Packets of healthy snacks

Prep once, pack easily all week

• Dice, slice, cut up all fruit and vegetable sticks and store in airtight containers in the fridge.
• Choose 2 – 3 sweet snacks to make for the week.  For example, bliss balls, a batch of fruit muffins, banana pikelets or a slice. Scroll our website for simple, nutritious recipe ideas.

Fruit and vegetable sticks in the largest compartment of the Bento box.  For example:

• Apple wedges
• Berries
• Kiwi fruit
• Banana
• Grapes – sliced in half
• Mandarin segments
• Watermelon triangles
• Carrot sticks
• Snow peas
• Capsicum
• Cherry tomatoes – sliced in half
• Baby qukes

This is my favourite part of the lunchbox… colourful and full of goodness and I am SO happy when it comes home empty!  If your child doesn’t like eating with their fingers, you could try making fruit kebabs OR pack a mini fork or spoon for them to use.

Then, I pack a couple of the sweet snacks I made over the weekend.

Of course, cater for your child’s appetite but I tend to pack 2 sweet snacks and spread these over 2 of the bento compartments. I also sprinkle some ‘nibblies’ in these compartments too.  For example:

• Plain popcorn
• A medjool date with a little square of dark chocolate pressed into it
• Pretzels
• Baked pita chips
• Dark chocolate covered pepitas (these are a real hit and a great source of protein and many important vitamins and minerals)!

Finally, I make a fresh sandwich or prepare some rice cakes/corn thins

I stick with a fairly simple spread here:

• Grated cheese, grated carrot and hummus
• Ricotta cheese and spinach
• Vegemite and cheese
• Homemade chia jam
• Fruit bread

The goal is to fill them up and keep their energy and concentration levels high!

However, if your child is up for constructing their sandwich at school, then I would highly recommend sending them with the base ingredients:

• 2 x slices of fresh bread, a bread roll or a wrap
• Half an avo
• Sliced tomato
• Spinach leaves

My hot tip here is to include the fresh bread at the start of the week and if you don’t get to the shops again, sub in the rice/corn cakes later in the week!  Nobody likes stale bread… Our family choose grain, seed, high fibre or wholemeal varieties as these are rich in fibre and keep kids fuller for longer.

And don’t forget the water!

Ensure water bottles are clean and full each morning.