It’s back to school time – exhausted parents around the UK rejoice! Whilst it will probably be a relief to get the kids back into the school routine, this also means that the chore of preparing packed lunches every evening is back (unless of course you pay for school dinners, in which case look away now). To help you out, we’ve been researching how to put together back to school lunch ideas that children will both enjoy eating and get health benefits from.
A healthy packed lunch should include all of the following elements:
- Fresh fruit
- Vegetables (preferably crunchy!)
- Meat/Fish (or another protein based food such as eggs)
- Dairy (cheese, milk, yoghurt)
- Carbohydrate (bread, pasta, crackers)
- Water
We’ve scoured the web and found a selection of easy, back to school packed lunch ideas that your kids will love! Why not give them a go this year?
BLT Pasta Salad
This yummy pasta salad recipe contains 2 of your children’s 5-a-day! With sophisticated flavours such as mustard and spinach involved, this dish is sure to widen your child’s palette and help them grow into an adventurous eater.
Ingredients: Pasta, crispy bacon rashers, spinach, cherry tomatoes, crème fraiche and wholegrain mustard.
Find the full recipe at BBC Good Food.
Healthier Flapjacks
If your kid’s have got a sweet tooth, then these flapjacks are a healthier alternative to your regular, shop-bought varieties. Instead of using refined sugar this recipe uses agave syrup, which is a naturally occurring sweetener, and is packed with seeds and oats to keep little stomachs full until teatime!
Ingredients: Dates, low fat spread, agave syrup, dried apricot, hazelnuts, mixed seeds, raisins and porridge oats.
Find the full recipe at BBC Good Food.
Pizza Roll Ups
What kid doesn’t love pizza? Although not the healthiest of lunches, these snacks can make a delicious occasional treat. Whilst they are meant to be served warm, we’re sure that they are just as tasty when served cold.
Ingredients: Bread dough, pizza sauce (tomato puree or similar), mozzarella, pepperoni, olive oil and parmesan.
Find the full recipe at Food.
Apple and Peanut Butter
This is a super easy snack that would provide a healthy side to a sandwich.
Ingredients: Sliced apple and peanut butter (smooth or crunchy).
Find the full recipe at Food.
Tuna Salad
This is another sophisticated lunch that some children may not enjoy. However if you’ve got an adventurous eater who loves tuna, this recipe is worth a try.
Ingredients: Celery stalks, red onion, canned tuna, mayonnaise, capers, parsley, dijon mustard, lemon juice and ground pepper.
Find the full recipe at Bon Appetit.
Teddy Bear Sandwich
Get your kids to eat healthier by using a few clever design tricks… like this cute little teddy bear sandwich!
Ingredients: Wholegrain bread, hummus, cucumber and black olives.
Find the full recipe at Eating Well.
Lunch Box Packaging
Every child loves having their own personalised lunch boxes decorated with their favourite characters, but how can you keep the food fresh inside until lunchtime? We have the answer! Our selection of plastic food tubs lock in all the freshness of your children’s’ lunches and many can fit into lunch boxes to separate the different elements of the meal. They’re ideal for salads, pasta and even snacks such as crisps and fruit.
The tubs that we think are the best suited to lunch boxes are those on the smaller side: the 80ml Plastic Food Pot, the 250cc Plastic Deli Box and the 210ml Plastic Food Pot. We have no minimum order and can offer you fantastic prices on these three items that start from just 13p each – but if you buy in bulk this price per unit will go down! Check out our whole food packaging range by clicking here.
So what are you waiting for? Give our back to school lunch ideas a go this month and who knows? They could become firm favourites in your household!
