Lunchbox Ideas To Get You Through The Last Few Weeks
We are almost through week 6 of the school term! Can you believe it!?! If you are anything like me, your stock of lunchbox snacks and ideas are seriously dwindling, or you may have reached that point where you are at a complete loss. So, today I’m going to provide you with some lunchbox ideas to get you through the last few weeks of school term!
You’ve got this. We are on the home stretch. This year has been unrelenting for us as a family. We have faced many ups and downs throughout the year, mainly centred around our eldest child and as a result, we have even moved house and the kids have changed schools! I think that is more than enough for one year and I for one am looking forward to seeing the year out on a high, then finding some down time over Christmas and New Year. But we’re not there yet…
So, let’s take a moment to refocus, assess where we are at, and make a plan to fill those lunchboxes over the next 4 weeks!
Most of these recipes don’t require a lot of prep, and if they do require a little more time it is purely so you can make them in bulk and freeze them down.
Here are my top lunchbox fillers that can be easily prepped and frozen, or prepared in as short amount of time as possible.
Blueberry & Dark Choc Muffins
Who doesn’t love a muffin?! These muffins are super tasty and also contribute small amounts to your daily RDIs, but let’s be honest, muffins are not so much about nutrition. You can swap out the blueberries for another fruit if preferred as the recipe is quite flexible. I also like to swap out the sugar for rice malt syrup but that’s your call. At this time of year the kids sometimes need a little sugar to get them through as their focus starts to drop off. These freeze really well.
Each serve contains:
4g Protein
4% RDI Vitamin C
Olive & Sundried Tomato Scrolls
Olive & Sundried Tomato Scrolls are a simple, tasty, school lunchbox or work snack. This particular recipe always comes out light and fluffy and you can switch up the fillings each and every time for some variety. Use whatever toppings you have available to you and freeze once they have cooled.
Each serve contains:
4g Protein
10% RDI Iron
Mexican, Cheesy Black Bean Dip
This dip is really delish whether it’s warm or chilled, so unless it’s a scorcher it will be fine as a lunchbox addition, plus your kids will go nuts for it! It is really quick to make too, plus each serve contains added nutrients including:
40% RDI B12
6% RDI Iron
6% RDI Calcium
5g Protein
Mango & Coconut Chia Overnight Jar
I love this one as you put it together the night before and leave it in the fridge. You can also choose to use frozen mango (added in the morning) to keep it chilled until snack time. This one is huge on the nutrition stakes as each serve contains:
9g protein
36% RDI Vitamin A
102% RDI Vitamin C
17% RDI Calcium
14% RDI Iron
‘Sausage’ Rolls
These are winning plant-based ‘sausage’ rolls – they fool even the most devoted meat eater. The texture and taste is spot on for a regular sausage roll plus they can be made in bulk then frozen for cooking as you need them. Of course, being plant-based, there is no harm in cooking the night before and sending in your kids’ lunchboxes as there is nothing in them that will spoil.
Each serve contains:
43mg Potassium
6g Protein
2% RDI Vitamin C
Spinach Tofu Ricotta Rolls
This is another great recipe that you can make ahead and freeze. They are my favourite and go over really well with my daughter in particular. I think it has something to do with the sesame seeds as I really load them on. As you can see from the nutritional breakdown per serve, these are far more nutritional than the average sausage roll and are really worth having on hand to whip out when you are unsure what to add to the lunchbox.
Each serve contains:
6g Protein
105% RDI Vitamin A
26% RDI Vitamin C
14% RDI Calcium
12% RDI Iron
100% RDI B12
Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
This may seem like a bit of a strange concept but you will be surprised by how tasty they are and how perfect they are for lunchboxes, provided you don’t eat them all straight out of the oven. These are not for freezing, however I would recommend making a big batch and having them over 2 days or as part of your evening meal also. They are quite filling and each serve contains a great mix of nutrients including:
14g Protein
8% RDI Vitamin A
102% RDI Vitamin C
5% RDI Calcium
4% RDI Iron
5 minute Nooch Pasta
Pasta is another sure-fire winner with my kids. They love eating it at school and it seems to make them feel special. You can combine whatever veg you have in this one – pumpkin, capsicum, asparagus (if your kids like that type of thing). Mine love the olives and sundried tomatoes so that is our ‘go to’. I cook the pasta the night before then add the extra ingredients in the morning so it has that fresh taste.
Each serve contains:
7g Protein
30% RDI B12
Tasty Hummus and Veggie Sticks
This one is a bit of a given in our household. Carrot, celery and capsicum are the faves in our home, although your kids might have other ideas in mind. You can also throw in a few corn chips for some variety but I definitely recommend keeping the fresh options in there. Hummus provides a complete protein and if you are not into making your own there are heaps of options at the supermarket that will work also.
Each serve of this recipe contains:
7g Protein
2% RDI Vitamin A
4% RDI Vitamin C
Vee Baked Beans
Ok, so this one takes a little more prep but they freeze really well and are super tasty whether they are hot or cold. This recipe is really versatile as these beans can be used for nacho style, in a wrap – quesadilla style, with spaghetti or rice, or even on their own. My kids love them on their own or with corn chips on the side. The recipe makes quite a large quantity so it is worth the effort, just make sure you freeze it down in small serving sizes so none of it goes to waste. It is jam-packed with nutrients, which is one of the big winners for me.
Each serve contains:
20g Protein
11% RDI Vitamin A
48% RDI Vitamin C
10% RDI Calcium
28% RDI Iron
I really hope these ideas have inspired you to mix up your lunchboxes to bring home the school term.
You can do this, I know you can!
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