Lunch Box Ideas

It's back to school time so I thought I'd give some suggestions for some cheap and healthy lunches that the kids will love.
Some will require preparation in advance, but there are also some last-minute fixes for less-organised mums and dads!

LUNCH

MUFFIN PIZZA (Quick Fix)

1 English Muffin
Tomato Puree
Cheddar Cheese or Mozzarella, grated

Topping ideas:  Tuna and Sweetcorn, Bacon and Courgette, Ham and Grape, Chicken and Olive.

Halve the muffin and spread the two halves with tomato puree.  Sprinkle with cheese and cover with a topping of your choice.  Sprinkle over a little more cheese and grill until lightly browned and all the cheese has melted.

BOREKS
To make 4

4 sheets Filo Pastry
100g Feta Cheese
50g melted Unsalted Butter
1 heaped tsp Raisins or Sultanas
20g Flat Leaf Parsley
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Preheat oven 200C.
Line a tray with baking paper.
Crumble the Feta into a bowl and stir in the Parsley and Raisins.  Season with Pepper.
Take 1 sheet of Filo Pastry and brush it with melted butter.  Fold in half lengthways.
Put 2-3 tsps of the Feta mixture on one end and fold the Filo into a triangle, brushing with butter before each fold.
Place on the tray and bake for 20 mins until crisp and golden. Leave to cool before wrapping.
Pop into lunchbox with some cherry tomatoes and carrot sticks.

BIG DIPPERS

Variety of Dippers
eg.  Carrot Sticks, Cucumber Sticks, Broccoli Florets, Cherry Tomatoes, Sliced Peppers, Celery Sticks, Breadsticks, Rice Cakes, Oatcakes, Rice Crackers, Cheese Straws, Tortilla/Pitta Chips (slice a tortilla or pitta and bake in oven until crisp)

Dip
eg.
Moroccan Houmous
1 Onion, finely sliced
1 x 400g tin Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
2 tsp Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
1 tsp Lemon Juice
Olive Oil

Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion for 10 mins until soft and golden.  Add the garlic, cumin and coriander cook for another minute.  Put into a food processor with the chickpeas and 50ml water and blend until smooth, adding more water if necessary.

Smooth Sardines (bear with me, it's delicious and a great way of sneaking Omega-3 into their diet, which if studies are to be believed may help with concentration)

1 x 125g tin of Sardines in oil or spring water
75ml Natural Yoghurt
1/2 tsp Dried Coriander
1 tsp Thai 5-Spice Mix
1 tbsp Lime Juice

Drain the sardines (if you have dogs or cats they love the drained juices!) and tip into a food processor or blender with the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.  If you don't have a processor, mash the sardines well with a fork before mixing with everything else.

Peanut Butter (Quick Fix)

2 tbsp Peanut Butter, crunchy or smooth (I use 'Whole Earth' as it has no added sugar)
1 tbsp Cream Cheese or Cottage Cheese

FRUITY RICE

Cooked and chilled Rice (or couscous/quinoa)
Sliced Spring Onion
Sliced Celery
Halved Red and Green Grapes
Juice of 1 Orange

Mix together and put in lunch box with an ice pack to keep it cool.  Rice should not be reheated.

CHEESY CORN MUFFINS

Sweetcorn is unusual in that it
retains its antioxidants and actually
gains health benefits when cooked

To make 12

Olive Oil                                                          
200g can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed          
100g Frozen Sweetcorn                                  
250g Self-Raising Flour                                    
1 tsp Baking Powder                                        
1 tsp Curry Powder or Paste                              
bunch of Chives                                                
100g grated Cheddar Cheese                          
2 Eggs                                                              
100ml Milk                                                      

Preheat the oven to 200C.  Use a little oil to grease a muffin tray. Mash in a bowl to lightly break up.  Cook the sweetcorn for 3 mins in boiling water.  Drain and mix with the chickpeas.
Put the flour and baking powder in a large bowl with the chives.  Mix with the cheese, chickpeas and sweetcorn.  Beat the eggs with the milk and curry powder and add to the other ingredients.  Stir until combined.
Put into the tray and bake for 15 minutes.  Cool in tray.

SWEET THINGS

FRUITY YOGHURT (this contains a lot less sugar than bought fruit yoghurt)

Natural / Greek Yoghurt mixed with your choice of fruit purée

eg). Lemon Curd, Fresh or Frozen Fruit (Cherries/Raspberries/Blueberries/Blackberries/Rhubarb) cooked with a little sugar, water and cornflour in a saucepan until soft and juicy with a thick sauce.

RICE PUDDING WITH MERINGUE (Quick Fix, if using tinned rice pudding)

Tinned or home made rice pudding mixed with fresh strawberries/jam and a crumbled meringue nest.

GRAPES AND CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE (Quick Fix)

Red or Black Grapes, halved
Cream Cheese
Ground Cinnamon

BANANA FLAPJACK

2 Ripe Bananas
100g Porridge Oats
Handful Raisins/Sultanas
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Maple Syrup/Honey (optional)

Combine ingredients and shape into as many rounds as you can on a lightly greased baking tray.  Flatten them slightly, then bake in an oven preheated to 200C for 10-15 mins until golden and crisp on top but still chewy in the middle.  Cool on a wire rack.  Serve with a little jam if liked.

Spicy Lime and Mayo Corn

 Great as a barbecue side, these also make a healthy snack.

We tucked into ours at work!

TO SERVE 6 AS A SNACK

3 Corn Cobs
1 Lime
Mayonnaise
Parmesan Cheese, grated
Cayenne Pepper
Olive Oil, if frying

Cut the cobs in half and boil in water for about 15 - 20 mins.
Remove from the pan and barbecue, grill, or griddle in a little oil until nicely charred or browned.
Drizzle with mayonnaise and sprinkle with finely grated lime zest.  Squeeze over some lime juice and finish with a pinch of cayenne pepper.  Enjoy!

Smiley Orange Jellies

These jellies are very cheap to make and fantastic for packing into a picnic - they sit very well in a tub and you don't need a spoon to eat them!


TO MAKE 20 JELLIES
Takes 30 mins using freezer

5 medium naval oranges           1 x 135g packet orange jelly

Carefully cut the oranges in half and gently squeeze  some of the juice, taking care not to ruin the skin.  Scrape the remaining flesh into a bowl (don't  throw it away - it will go very well in a chocolate pudding or smoothie and you can freeze it!)

Using the orange juice make up the jelly in the microwave using half the liquid recommended on the packet.  If you don't have a microwave you will have to heat the orange juice for it to dissolve the jelly.
Sit the orange skin halves in a muffin tin to keep them steady and pour the jelly in right to the top.

Pop them in the freezer for about 15 mins (or refrigerate for longer) until set.  Trim the orange halves so the skin is level with the jelly, then slice in half again with a sharp knife.  Done!

Fantastic Snacks

I must confess that I often eat out of boredom.  I'll be sat at my desk while Nathan naps or plays by himself and I constantly need something to pick at.  This used to be cake or biscuits, but recently I have started making snacks that are healthier but just as tasty (with a sneaky small chocolate or sugar fix to satisfy my cravings).  I also put some in a small tub for Nathan for him to eat while we're out shopping or running errands and, for such a small snack, they keep him quiet for a while.

All ingredients can be used in varying amounts depending on your preference, but be warned - only make a small amount at a time as they are very moreish and you may end up eating more than you intended!

BANOFFEE  MIX

Dried banana chips, chopped (I use 'Whitworths')

Mini fudge or toffee pieces 

Pecans, chopped

STRAWBERRY MILKSHAKE

Dried banana chips, chopped (I use 'Whitworths')

MOVIE MIX

Dried strawberries, chopped (I use 'Urban Fruit')

White chocolate drops

Flaked almonds

MOVIE MIX


Plain popcorn (I pop my own from raw kernels)
Pecans, chopped
Toffee or fudge pieces or sauce
Melted plain chocolate mixed with a little veg oil and milk

CHOCOLATE ORANGE MIX

Orange infused raisins (I use the 'Nakd' range)

Dark chocolate drops

Hazelnuts, chopped


APPLE CRUMBLE MIX


Dried apple, chopped (I use 'Urban Fruit')
Cinnamon spiced raisins (simply sprinkle with some cinnamon)
Oats and crushed ginger biscuit mixed with a little melted butter then lightly toasted in a frying pan

MINT MIX

Mint infused sultanas (these are harder to get hold of, so I just soak some sultanas in some mint oil for 10 mins or so)

Dark chocolate drops

Flaked almonds

FIG ROLL MIX

FIG ROLL MIX

Cinnamon spiced sultanas (simply sprinkle with some cinnamon)

Dried figs, pureed and made into balls before rolling in sesame seeds

Sponge fingers, chopped

PINA COLADA MIX

Dried banana chips, chopped
Dried pineapple, chopped (I use 'Urban Fruit')
Coconut flakes
Pistachios, chopped


CHRISTMAS MIX

Cinnamon spiced orange infused raisins (I use the 'Nakd' range then sprinkle with cinnamon)

Dried cranberries

Honeyed almonds

SUMMER MIX

Dried strawberries, chopped (I use 'Urban Fruit')

Dried cherries, chopped (I use 'Urban Fruit')

Yoghurt coated fruit chips

More ideas would be very welcome!

Sheena x