Mornings have always been hectic, but since Covid even more so, as I now pack lunch for my kids as well as snacks. For some a regular affair, but for a lazy bones like me, quite a revelation.
Thus I’m always on the lookout for those quick, healthy snacks we (of course I mean me) can easily assemble to take to school. Here are some of my quick go-to kids school snacks and lunches, one idea for every day of the week!
Monday: fruit and veg medley
This one is a must, especially as it’s so easy to prepare vegetables like carrot sticks a few days before. We keep cut carrot sticks in a bottle of water for up to a week and take them out for easy snacking. Mix it with some apples, guava, grapes… anything on hand really.
Tuesday: bolognaise leftover
I love leftovers! Cook an extra portion of pasta and rice the night before and easily add it to the bolognaise sauce for school meals the next day. In this case I paired some quickly boiled greens and rice with some leftover bolognaise sauce.
Wednesday: sushi
We love making sushi. Ok, it can be messy at times, but once you get it right it’s easy to make the evening before, store and eat the next day. I use the recipe from this video here. Or, if you are on a time crunch, pick up a few trays of sushi from the supermarket.
Thursday: chickpea curry
Leftover rice and chickpea curry is the next go-to meal. As we mostly try to eat plant-based food (especially my 15 year old), we often use chickpeas and lentils instead of meat. Such an easy way to get that protein into the kids and such a plus not having to handle raw bloody meat. Win!
Quick recipe for this curry: stir fry 1 onion and 1/2 garlic bulb (yes we love our garlic), add curry leaves, cumin and curry powder. Stir till the fragrance comes out. Then add 2-3 large peeled and diced potatoes, a few cherry tomatoes and whatever else takes your fancy. Add a packet of santan (coconut milk for those fresh off the boat) and a cup of water with mushroom seasoning or chicken stock. Tip: add the water gradually, until you get the desired consistency.
Add-ons:
- For meat lovers, add some thinly sliced pork, beef or fried salmon slathered in miso and a bit of soya sauce, quickly stir fried. Kids love it!
- Boiled eggs. They keep in the fridge for up to a week and you can mash them with mayo, or just have plain with some salt on the side. Do remember to eat them before they expire though! Tip: I always write the expire date on them with a permanent marker.
Friday: snacks from the bakery
Friday is cheat day, so I get the kids something from the bakery. I love, love, love the easy store bought bakery items like ciabatta, pain au chocolat, raisin rolls, or baguettes.. So easy to get the day before and give out for school. You could also make your own oatmeal jam bars. Have a look at our recipe here!
At the end of the day I have high hopes of training the little ankle biters (or not so little) to make their own meals and snacks, but it’s a work in progress -time to be a stricter mummy!?
I would love to hear what other parents pack… Do drop us a line if you have fabulous and easy ideas that work for you and your family.
