Thinking Differently About the Lunch Box

Every school day I need to think of food items to include in 4 lunch boxes that are healthy, yum and will keep well. It’s a challenge, however over the years I’ve fine tuned this process.  One of the things key things that helped me think about the lunch box in a different way is converting dinner food into lunch box food.

Thinking Differently About the Lunch Box

I chatted to mum of two and dietitian Kate Di Prima about lunch box food. There are two main things I’ve trialed:

1. Including More Protein: Protein provides long lasting energy for kids.  I now look for ways to include some form of protein like lean red meat (beef and lamb), fish, egg or legumes (like baked beans). Kate tells me these deliver a boost of essential nutrients – particularly iron – needed for concentration and being active.

2. Using Leftovers: Saving food from dinner to convert into food for the lunch box, saves both time and money.

In the past, I have been afraid to use meat in the lunch box because I’m worried it will spoil. However, by using a insulated lunch bag with an ice brick, meat keeps, and my kids eat it at the first break.  Kate tells me this is safe and has more brilliant lunch box tips here: Lunch Box Tips.

A Week of School Lunches

This is the sort of inspiration I needed: For a week, I converted our family dinners into lunches for the kids.  It was a fabulous exercise in helping me think bigger about food for my family. 

All the recipes are easy and delicious (especially the Tandoori Lamb Chops and Chicken Burrito Wraps) and are here on the blog via the links below.  I have also listed all the food items I used in the lunch box too.

1. Sunday Dinner

Tandoori Lamb Chops

Monday Lunch Box

Lunch: Tin corn, cherry tomatoes, lamb chop

Baked: Banana cake

Fruit: Blueberries

Snack: Rice Crackers

2. Monday Dinner

Tuna Pasta Bake

Tuesday Lunch Box

Lunch: Cold Tuna Pasta Salad

Baked: Hot cross bun

Fruit: Nectarine

Snack: Carrots and Snow Peas

3. Tuesday Dinner

Winter Meatloaf

Wednesday Lunch Box

Lunch: Snow peas & cherry tomato with mini meatloaf with tomato sauce as a dipper.

Baked: Mini coconut bread

Fruit: Pear

Snack: Corn on the Cob

4. Wednesday Dinner

Mexican Chicken Burrito Wraps

Thursday Lunch Box

Lunch: Chicken Wrap

Baked: Fruit Salad Muffins

Fruit: Pear

Snack: Corn on the cob & carrot stick

5. Thursday Dinner

Corned Beef

Friday Lunch Box

Lunch: Corned beef and mustard sandwich

Baked: Fruit Salad Muffins

Fruit: Banana

Snack: Half an avocado (leave the seed in and sprinkle a bit of lemon juice to ensure freshness)

6. Friday Dinner

Family Pizza

Lunch Box Idea

Lunch: Pizza

Fruit: Black grapes

Vegetables: Tin corn & carrot

Snack: Rice Crackers

Printable

If you want all the recipes in one PDF, click here: Family Dinners and Lunch Box Ideas

What I Have Found

This challenge changed the way I think about food for the lunch box. I work on eating a little less at dinner, and include more protein during the day.  I noticed a marked difference in my own energy levels, and my children too.   As a bonus, it takes less time to prepare the lunch boxes because they already half done.  So, if you’re looking for lunch box inspiration, think about converting leftovers from dinner into lunch the next day. I still make the humble sandwich often, but I also always think when I’m making dinner: Can any of this be converted in the lunch box?  If you want to read a detailed article about my lunch box system, you can find it here.

See a snapshot of the sort of lunches I make for my kids, head over to my Instagram feed @beafunmum and search for my lunch box hashtag #bafm_lunchbox

Note: Kate Di Prima provided me with the dinner recipes and I made up my own lunch box ideas.

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