Monday, 16 December 2013

The Great Lunch Box Conundrum….


Here in Australia we are currently on our end of school year holidays, 6 weeks of blissful sleep ins, kids getting in each others personal space causing mass amounts of arguing, over tired children crying because the cat looked at them and the dog they are asking to adopt barked whilst they where day dreaming about how good it would be to have one.

It is also a wonderful time for parents to regroup mentally, well sort of, as much as you can with kidlets running around. Time to plan, make any changes, trial new foods, the speed of how long something takes to prepared, test out routine changes for mornings, can you still get out the door in time. And to come up with a reason as to why the One Direction CD is going to magically break come time for school to go back. As sweet as it is they tell me I’m Beautiful, I don’t take compliments too well and forever telling me is sorta creepy.

These holidays I am using it to make over our lunch boxes. My kids got bored last year and I don’t blame them, being home Little Miss (2yrs) and I can have a sandwich, toast, eggs, toasted sandwich, salad, leftovers etc. Those who are away for lunch don’t get that option. Usually it’s a mad rush of “Quick, have you made lunch yet?” “Mum is there any sandwich meat?” “MUUMMMMMM, why can’t I have Nutella?” “Mum, I hate sandwiches, cant I have leftovers” Then the other 2 start they want leftovers and there’s not enough for all three so no-one has it and Daddy (Sparky) comes along and takes it with him.

So next year my plan is to mix it up. Have sandwiches 3 days a week and something else in between, and something different again on weekends. I have looked at those Japanese style lunch boxes. And I like it but my kids would eat it all in one sitting, as they wouldn’t know which is lunch and which is recess. I am also after something that fills them up, they all appear to be having growth spurts and last year Missy (10 yrs) used to take food out her brothers, Master (8 yr) and Mister (5 yrs) lunch box when she was hungry. I increased what I sent and everything came home or the eating siblings lunches would continue.

In 2013 they each got
-1 sandwich with filling of their choice (excluding nut-based products)
- 1-2 pieces of fruit (or a tub of grapes, strawberries)
- 1 tub of yoghurt, cheese and crackers or boiled egg
- 1 piece of cake
Considering they have one recess, one lunch (for which they get 10 mins to eat before playtime), and a healthy snack during class. I thought that was enough.

In 2014 I’m aiming to replace the sandwich with other things, wraps, pinwheels, scrolls, salads. Make the crackers myself, maybe with a wholemeal/grain bread to make them more filling and healthier.

But I honestly am at a loss. Lunch items needs to be able to be made quickly or grabbed and thrown in. I would prefer home made anything over shop packaged chips, museli bars etc. As well as something healthy that fits in with the schools healthy eating guidelines
See:

When I come up with solutions I will be sure to pass them on. Does anyone have any ideas? What do you send?

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