It's day 2 of making school lunches again and I'm already out of ideas. The sandwich I packed yesterday basically went for a lunchbox field trip and returned home completely intact. After a chat with my little miss she informed me she is "so over sandwiches"... I'll tell ya it took everything in me to stop myself from replying with "back in my day!".
Last year we invested in an insulated food jar and with the cooler weather at our doorsteps what better way to get ourselves out of the lunchbox rut than with yummy hot meals. As well as dinner leftovers, here is what we'll be packing - maybe you'll find a few ideas too:
HOT MEALS:
- Porridge
- Egg fried rice
- Meat and veggie stir fry with rice
- Soup
- Potato bake
- Curry with rice
- Spaghetti bolognese
- Meatballs with cous cous
- Baked beans
- Macaroni and cheese
- Stew
- Chicken nuggets
- Lasagne or pasta bake
- Instant noodles
- Nacho mince (pack corn chips separately)
- Sliced toasted sandwich
- Cottage pie
- Corn on the cob
- Sausages (pack hot dog bun separately)
- Omlette
- Tortellini or ravioli in sauce
- Hot chocolate
- Roast vegetable salad
- Spring rolls
- Fruit crumble
COLD MEALS:
- Milk (pack dry cereal separately)
- Yoghurt
- Bircher muesli
- Chopped fruit
- Salads - pasta, potato, garden vegetable etc.
- Chia pudding
- Smoothie
- Peeled boiled eggs
- Custard
- Deli meats + cheese (pack crackers separately)
A FEW TIPS:
- Invest in a quality food jar - Look for a food jar that will withstand bumps and bruises but will still keep your food at the right temperature. The Insulated Food Jar from B.box keeps food cold for up to 7 hours, and warm for up to 5 hours. Great for kindy and school with a 335ml capacity. It comes with a spork utensil that tucks away into custom bumper + the easy grip handles give kids leverage to open the jar easily, encouraging independence. Removable arms and bumper ensure the food jar can be tailored for older kids too. More bang for your buck!
- Keep hot foods hot - Fill the stainless steel base with hot water for a few minutes. Drain just before you're ready to pack the food. The heat from the water will warm up the food jar and help it retain the heat!
- Prevent Sogginess - Stuff the bottom of your food jar with a paper towel to absorb the liquid condensation. Boom! So simple.
Tania of LMB. x