{"id":2774,"date":"2011-01-10T12:46:59","date_gmt":"2011-01-10T10:46:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jozikids.co.za\/zaparents-blog\/?p=2774"},"modified":"2022-06-21T12:12:25","modified_gmt":"2022-06-21T10:12:25","slug":"back-to-school-lunch-box-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jozikids.co.za\/blog\/lifestyle\/food-lunchbox-ideas\/back-to-school-lunch-box-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Back-to-school lunch box tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you have a school-going age child then you\u2019re no doubt in the swing of Back-To-School preparation. I thought I\u2019d share some school lunch ideas to help break the monotony of the usual suspects (ham and cheese sandwiches, peanut butter and jam and marmite and cheese).<\/p>\n

Warm lunches<\/h2>\n

Insulated bags and containers now mean that you can send supper leftovers to school with your child and the meal should stay relatively warm until first break.<\/p>\n

Pick \u2019n Pay sell a Fuel-branded insulated container, which I use to send pasta\u2019s, stews and left-over veggies to school. I don\u2019t put it in the dishwasher and it generally lasts for about a year or two. Well worth it for the \u00b1 R40 price tag.<\/p>\n

In Winter you could send soups in a thermos flask with a bread serve on the side.<\/p>\n

Salads<\/h2>\n

The idea of lettuce wilting makes the idea of taking salads to school unappealing. But what if you replaces the lettuce with pasta or couscous? The carbohydrates would make the meal more substantial and the starch wouldn\u2019t wither under the weight of the dressing. If you\u2019re making pasta for dinner just keep some aside and add cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, onions and some dressing.<\/p>\n

Crudit\u00e9s<\/h2>\n

Crudit\u00e9s are a great way to boost your child\u2019s 5-a-day and as long you\u2019re packing fresh, crisp veggies they enjoy with a dip they like then you\u2019re sure to get empty lunch boxes at the end of the day.<\/p>\n

\"lunch<\/p>\n

Veggie ideas<\/h3>\n

Cucumber sticks
\nCarrot sticks
\nCherry tomatoes
\nBaby corn
\nSugar snap peas
\nMange tout
\nRaw cauliflower florets
\nLightly steamed baby asparagus
\nQuartered mushrooms
\nCelery sticks
\nGreen Beans<\/p>\n

Dip ideas<\/h3>\n

Hummus
\nSour cream dip
\nLow-fat cream cheese
\nTzatziki
\nGuacamole
\nCottage cheese
\nYou can also include Melba toast or Provita as an accompanying carb.<\/p>\n

Freeze ahead<\/h2>\n

I\u2019m a huge fan of freezing lunchbox snacks and pulling them out the freezer in the morning . As long as you\u2019ve individually packed your portions then you shouldn\u2019t have issues of sticking.<\/p>\n

The following snacks freeze well in mini-plastic bags (most plastic shops sell re-sealable bags in batches of 100 at very reasonable prices).<\/p>\n