Putting effort into a Sunday prep for school lunches can feel like such a drag.. however when you’re in the middle of the week and scrambling to pull something together you will be thankful you did!

A tip I picked up over the years:

  • If your child likes sandwiches then you can pre-make them for the week and put them in the freezer (filling dependent). Pull them out the morning of (or the night before and let rest in the fridge). I have it on good authority that they thaw out before lunch time (i.e. my kids have never complained about a frozen sandwich!)

Some healthy snack ideas include:

  • Popcorn – I make a big batch from the Riveria Kernals and pre-package it up in the cupboard, ready to go into lunch boxes
  • Veggie sticks (cut up some carrot, capsicum, celery) – is great with hummus (if they eat it!)
  • Fruit – already in it’s own nice packaging, however if your child is going through the wobbly teeth stage, you may need to cut up that apple and pop it into a container J
  • Recipes below

Mini Quiches (lunchbox friendly)

Makes 12

Ingredients

100g carrot, peeled, roughly chopped

100g zucchini, roughly chopped

250g white potato, peeled, roughly chopped

20g olive oil

¾ tsp salt

100g ham, cut up/shredded

100g cheese, shredded

4 eggs

1 tsp onion powder

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C fan forced
  2. Add carrot to food processor, blend until chopped to a suitable consistency
  3. Add zucchini and potato, blend until chopped to a suitable consistency
  4. In a frying pan add olive oil, blended veggie mix and salt and cook until soft (approx. 15mins)
  5. Allow mixture to cool for 10 mins while you prepare muffin tray (recommend silicone or using liners)
  6. Mix together cooked and remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl
  7. Spoon mixture into muffin tray and cook in the oven for approx. 20mins, check and cook a little longer if needed
  8. Allow to cool before serving

Please note – these ingredients can be swapped in and out as needed or as you may have in the pantry.

Dairy free – omit cheese

Vegetarian – Omit ham and replace with sundried tomatoes

School Friendly Muesli Bars

Ingredients

2 cups of rolled oats

1 ½ puffed rice i.e. Rice Bubbles or plain from the health food section

1/2 cup of dried fruit (your choice)

1/2 cup of another dried fruit or dark choc bits

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds (or linseeds)

150g butter, diced

2/3 cup honey

1/3 cup coconut sugar

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced)
  2. Grease a rectangular pan/tin and line with greaseproof (baking) paper
  3. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowel
  4. Combine and melt the butter, sugar and honey in a saucepan, simmer until the mixture becomes a syrupy and honeycomb colour. Remove from the heat.
  5. Stir the liquid into the dry ingredients and when well combined spoon into the pan/tin, press down well
  6. Cook in the oven for approx. 20 mins – the mix should be golden brown when removed from the oven. Cut into smaller rectangles and leave to cool in the tray.

Raspberry and Coconut Bliss Balls

Ingredients

Makes approx. 20

100g rolled oats or sunflower seeds

100g frozen raspberries (or any other berry)

100g desiccated coconut (plus extra for rolling)

30-60g of maple syrup

20g refined coconut oil

Method

  1. Add oats (or sunflower seeds) to food processor and blitz until finely crushed
  2. Add remaining ingredients – mix until combined. Scrape bowl down and repeat twice.
  3. Form into bite sized bliss balls and roll gently in coconut. Chill in the fridge for 1 hr before serving

Pikelets

Ingredients

1 cup self-raising flour

1 tbs caster sugar

1 pinch salt

1 egg (lightly beaten)

3/4 cup milk

butter (for frying)

jam

Method

  1. Sift the flour, sugar and salt together. Beat in the egg and then the milk (add more later if you need), gradually, until you have a consistency that you like. (The more milk you add the less dense your pikelets will be – 3/4 of a cup is the amount you use for pancakes and 1 cup is closer to crepes, so you will need to adjust as you mix.)
  2. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add butter. Drop tablespoonfuls into the pan and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip and cook the other side until golden. Repeat.
  3. When pikelets are cool, spread with butter and jam and sandwich together. Wrap individually in baking paper and freeze. Remove and send to school frozen. They will thaw by morning tea.

* You can double the batch and make these ahead for lunch boxes. They are economical and children will love them.