Six snack box recipes to make meal times a treat at school
The world might have changed over the past few months, but the ‘back to school’ routine remains firmly in the calendar. Once the initial flurry of preparation is over, ensuring uniform, stationery and bags are all ready, putting together a healthy selection of snacks soon becomes part of the daily term-time routine for busy parents.
As well as being exciting, we know that returning to the classroom can sometimes feel a little daunting for parents and children, so coming up with quick, easy and fun snacks to keep your family fuelled all day is important. We’ve rounded up our favourite selection of nutritional recipes with a quirky twist that will make mealtimes a treat and, best of all, you don’t need to be a chef to make them.
Pesto-‘pasta’ sandwich
Pasta and pesto is a family dinnertime staple – and with this trick, you can ensure every last drop in the pesto jar is used while getting two meals out of one. Mix pesto and cream cheese together for a simple and tasty sandwich filler in this ‘star sarnie’ recipe.
Top tip: Invest in some cookie cutters in your children’s favourite shapes to make finger-sized sandwiches.
Low-sugar, high-fun choc orange energy boosters
It’s hard to find any child that doesn’t LOVE the sweet taste of chocolate, but traditional chocolate bars can be high in sugar and should only be enjoyed in moderation. By using raw cacao powder and sticky dates, this snack provides an irresistible treat for your sweet-toothed little one. It does include nuts, so avoid if there are any allergies.
Roll up a tortilla
Whether looking for a savoury lunchtime filler or a small, sweeter treat, tortillas can be adapted to suit all tastes and needs. Eats Amazing has pulled together lots of great tortilla based ideas, with fillings ranging from ham and spinach to hummus and pepper, and even banana and peanut butter! Being so versatile, it’s also a great way to reduce waste and use up any leftover veggies that week.
Top tip: If you’re looking for more ways to create an eco-friendly lunchbox that your children will love, why not wrap up your tortillas and more in reusable beeswax wraps? They come in many fun designs and can be wiped down and used time and time again.
Try a dip
Dips are a great addition to any lunchbox, encouraging children to snack on healthy, crunchy sticks of fruit and veg. We’ve found three ideas featuring winning combinations of fruit, cucumber and more, that can be whipped up for a quick and tasty treat.
All-day breakfast muffins
Who doesn’t love a full English breakfast on a weekend? With these quick and easy muffins, you can provide some tasty and healthy home comforts in a snack-box size. Simply whizz together the flour, egg, tomato, bacon (or substitute for spinach for a veggie alternative) and bake in cupcake cases to create these on-the-go savoury nibbles.
Top tip: Use any leftover cake or muffin cases to create sections in your children’s lunch container, turning it into an instant bento-style box!
Super Spanish omelette
Eggs are a fantastic source of protein and they can be cooked the night before, stored in the fridge and eaten cold – perfect for packed lunches, Unlike the British version, Spanish omelettes also have boiled potatoes in them and can be the perfect base for adding in your children’s favourite vegetables. Once cooked, slice into smaller strips or wedges to make them easy to nibble. With snacks like this, it’s best to keep an ice pack in the lunchbox too to keep it fresh all day.
What will you be popping in your children’s snack box this term? Share your top mealtime tips with our community on Twitter and Facebook.