I think casseroles and that kind of thing always freeze/reheat really well. I quite often freeze leftovers like casseroles, apricot chicken, sausage casserole, home-made soups etc.
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I think casseroles and that kind of thing always freeze/reheat really well. I quite often freeze leftovers like casseroles, apricot chicken, sausage casserole, home-made soups etc.
Curries - they actually taste better after they've been reheated. We freeze ours in contained with cooked rice at the bottom. Sometimes you need to add a tiny bit of water before putting it in the microwave, just so the rice isn't too dry after it's reheated. And he could even microwave a few pappadums if he's really keen lol.
I don't like sandwiches, but other that have no idea what to eat for lunch. I can't stand eating the same thing everyday. I need some variety.
What do you have for lunch?
We had McDonald's for lunch as we were at the hospital so long today. We don't always have take away for lunch.
sometimes a stick of Kabana if we have it in the fridge. Most of the time sandwiches, or in winter canned soup
Love
~ Sangers (salad or just plain old vegemite LOL)
~ Spaghetti on Toast
~ Corn Thins with some butter/marg spread on them (YUM!)
~ Sometimes it might be something frozen out of the freezer like a couple of spinach & ricotta triangles
~ Leftovers
~ Toasted Sandwich
~ Soup (homemade or tin)
~ Something I've made for Jacob LOL like corn & bacon fritters
It depends really.......it changes all the time.
Toasted cheese & vegemite sandwich & a cup-a-soup
Leftovers
WW Frozen meal with peas & carrots
I always have leftovers. If there are no leftovers then I have baked beans on toast.
Leftovers are good. Have you tried putting leftovers in a toasted sanga? My kids all love maccaroni and cheese, so we have that often. Lily would probably like that too.
sherieb :p
Tegan- i generally have a salad for lunch. It consists of:
45g can of corn
some slices of canned beetroot, chopped (I have the fridge pack which is great and last for up to 4 weeks).
1 tomato
some diced cheese
lettuce
cucumber
carrott
capsicum (green or red)
And some days I will add a 45g can of four bean mix.
Then to the salad I also add a small can of tuna. I buy all different flavoured ones so I have a bit of variety.
Now that I am pregnant I only have tuna 2-3 days/wk, but when I wasn't I had it almost every day.
Usually leftovers but sometimes a salad or a sandwich. If I get takeawy its usually subway.
I have sandwiches latley as I have the same prolbem as you.
I also have left overs they are great.
Today being friday and we are running out of food I had subway.
I have the latest Super food ideas and it has lunch ideas in that. A goodie in it is cornish pasties I cant wait to make them! I just need to have a spout of energy ATM.
I also think it is easier if you are at home cos you just whip something up.
My hubbie has frozen things like fish fingers, and subway and sangers.
Good luck
Bec
vegemite rice cake sandwiches (with the thin cakes that are out now)
I make savoury muffins with cheese, carrot & cornL
1/2 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup grated cheese
1/4 cup frozen corn
1/2 carrot grated
1 egg
Mix together & bake in mini muffin trays until golden
DH takes carrots & a scoop of hummous to work with him...
When Lindsay was at preschool last year I made little fruit 'compotes' in a container for him to have. I always had an esky cooler bag with an ice brick in it to keep it fresh. I will do the same now he is starting school. Great idea for a thread though, I'd love more lunchbox ideas.
Keep the ideas coming please!!!
Aidyn is starting part-time daycare in less than 2 weeks, and I have to pack him his own big boy lunchbox!! (*sniff*!)
Atm I am thinking of including a yoghurt, a banana, a little container of grapes, a sandwich, a savoury mini muffin... and I dont know what else!! I want to pack extra JIC I guess...
Tulip you might find that a lot of places ask you not to include nuts these days, as there are a lot of children around with peanut allergies.
I'm not much good on the frozen foods, but here are some fresh ideas I use.
For a change with my girls I make little roll-ups with pita bread. I split the bread so it's thin and wrap it around a stick of kabana with a little grated cheese and carrot, and use butter or avocado to make it stick. I then roll cling wrap around it a few times to hold it together and cut an end free so it's easy for my girls to see how to eat it without unwrapping it completely!
My kids love deli bits and pieces so sometimes I give them a mini 'deli platter' but this is very dependant on your child's tastes.
I include variations on:
A slice of pariser wrapped around a pickled cucumber held with a toothpick
cubes of cheese
pieces of kabana
cherry tomatoes
sliced cucumber
carrot sticks
I add in some crackers or savoury biscuits and let them pick at it. Normally very little comes back home.
OR... PIKELETS! Two sandwiched together with jam or honey.
Kerrie
I am so lucky- Ryley's day care provides them with a healthy meal every day for lunch and healthy morning and afternoon tea. I'll find out some of their recipes and get back to you :)
Aidyns Daycare has a No nuts policy as well... no peanut butter, or even nutella. And yeah, I think its because the other kids could always always get a hold of someone elses lunch, and thats just too much of a risk...
What is wrong with sending a child to school occasionally with a homemade chocolate cupcake or something like that? I wouldn't class that as 'junk food' - and what about when they have a birthday are they allowed to take cake to school to share with the other kids? I can understand not wanting kids to eat chips and lollies for lunch, but who decides what is junk and what isn't. I mean things like roll ups and those rice bubble LCMs are full of sugar - are they classed as junk? Sorry I don't mean to rant but I just think it's interesting, how they decide what is ok for the kids to have and what isn't. I mean do they employ a dietician or a nutritionist to check these things?
Bon
We got our tuckshop menu on tuesday and was really disappointed to see that they are still selling red frogs, licorice, chips and that sugary flavoured water as I thought all this stuff was going to go. I just don't let my son have but he is always asking when it is his tuckshop day. They do have mostly healthy stuff but I just don't see the need for any junk!
Here is a really healthy recipe you could try.
Banana Bread
1 cup Kellogg’s® All Bran® Original
3/4 cup wholemeal self raising flour
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp full cream powdered milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tbs water
1 cup mashed banana
» Combine dry ingredients and add egg, water, and banana.
» Beat until well combined.
» Spoon into a greased 20 x 10 cm loaf tin.
» Bake in a moderate oven (180°C) for 30 minutes or until cooked when tested.
You can add sultanas or apricots to this recipe too.
Makes 1 loaf.
the nuts thing is really important because some children are so allergic that airborne particles can make them react - they can't even go near the loose nuts bins in supermarkets.
Our Preschool was the same Jillian! No junk food, including roll ups, le snacks, and muesli bars with chocolate on them. Last year, there were 2 boys in DD's class with allergies, which meant no peanut products at all, no eggs, no citrus fruit, juices or jams!
We got the whole talk about Qld schools adopting the 'healthy shcool' policy, they have either replaced the food with low fat food, or taken it off the menu at our school.
DD started grade 1 this week :cry: and they have fridges in their classrooms for their lunch boxes. It's relieving to know that her lunch isn't sitting in her bag in the 40 degree summer heat!
Christy - I like the sound of the vegemite rice cake sandwich! DD loves both of them, so will definately have to try them out.
Nic
Ryley's first birthday the cook had to make him a cake for the kids to have.
I think it was some chocolatey thing.
They are very strict about nuts and stuff too
I like giving DD some popcorn. I usually cheat and buy some in a packet from woollies (you can get a chip pack full of popcorn) and I give her about a third. We also like kellogs fruit bars. We're big on teh rice cakes too with vegemite or honey. Also the same with vita wheats. i also sometimes send cheese and biccies. xoxo
Those of you that have the Womens Weekly Baby and Toddler recipe book - there is some great stuff in that, like:
rice paper rolls with different fillings
mini pizzas - veg ones could be okay cold?
pumpkin and cheese scones - as small or as large as you like
muesli slice - this one has no nuts
tuna and carrot pinwheels
also I was thinking hardboiled eggs, banana or carrot cupcakes, rice crackers with salsa dip (they can come in the pkts together)
Hello Lovelies,
Can anyone throw some lunch ideas my way? Looking for a bit of variety from my usual toasted sandwich.
Cheers,
Mel
We mostly have sandwiches, but I make maccaroni and cheese at least once a week cause the girls love it. Also soup and a nice crusty roll, or left over stew on toast (my favorite) or even spaghetti or baked beans on toast.
I actually was using pita bread last week, and had salami, lettuce, tomato, cheese, mayo etc all rolled up in it. It was quite nice and made a change from a sandwich of some sorts
Love
Another Maccaroni cheese fan here......I love it, and so do Olivia and Charlie.
We also do soup now the weather is chilly.
A boiled egg on toast is another fave fo mine and Olivia's.
Leftovers on toast....or if I have had time, leftovers over the top of a jacket potato........
Oven fried wedges with sweet chilli sauce & sour cream.
Cous cous is really quite to zap up, add some frozen veges & some sort of sauce & you're set.
Fell like a kid again & have some chicken nuggets or ****tail frankfurts & sauce!
Oven fried wedges with sweet chilli sauce & sour cream is a fav of mine for lunch.
Soup is something we have for lunch when it's cold.
Wraps with ham, tomato, cucumber and mayo is another thing i love to have.
Beans with bread and butter.
Forgot to mention: if I am feeling naughty, I cook party sauage rolls and we have them with sauce!
We had that for lunch last week Lucy.
Paked lunch for work is either SC leftovers, a sandwich, pasta salad or risotto.
When we're at home, then - actually, it's a bit similar, as in pasta salad, a hot risotto, fried egg/sausage sandwich - oooh, I really fancy sausage rolls for lunch now, haven't had that in ages! Also soup, crackers with ham, cheese, cucumber, tomatoes and sour cream, jacket potatoes, cheesy chips, the list goes on!
When I was little it was sandwiches every lunchtime, now I have an aversion to sandwiches too much, so only 1-2 times a week. Ooooh, jam, cheese and crisp sandwiches are gorgeous, but you have to make them up fresh. I also love doing fondues for snacking too.
Thanks girls. I'm doing the grocery shopping tomorrow or Thursday so that will help a lot.
Ryn, I know what you mean about the sandwiches. Until I left work, I had a salad sandwich every day for years on end (sometimes I left the bread out and just had salad). I bored myself witless! Not that there's anything wrong with salad or salad sandwiches as they can be quite interesting and tasty but perhaps not everyday.
Jam cheese and crisps ... hmmm ... have you also tried peanut butter, smoked ham and crisps? It's a bit special.
I like toast and jam topped with sliced cheese (cold not melted). A Dutch girl I knew at uni put me onto that one and I've been an addict ever since.
Oooh, Peanut butter, vege ham and crisps sounds fab! I'm not allowed peanut butter or nuts any more due to DH's allergy (for shame, he still eats meat!). I try to do mini-versions of dinners, or quick versions (so dried pasta with ham, cheese and tomatoes, or tuna, mayo, cucumber instead of making fresh stuffed pasta). I love toast and chilled cream cheese - just the coldness of the cheese is fab, but you have to put it on then take a bite, then put more on for the next bite...
You can get small tubs of pastas and coleslaw and salad stuff now, maybe you could look at them for inspiration?
Soooo glad I have leftover SC food for lunch today, along with choc chip choc cake! (and an apple for health.) All this luncheon talk is making me very hungry!
I make salads sometimes. I love getting salad leaves (the mixed bag from woollies) and baking some beetroot and pumpkin ( in small cubes) then put with the leaves and some olive oil and maybe pine nuts. could also add bacon.
Also love soups, pumpkin, or roast vegie soup, or whatever!!
There's also a soup I buy from woollies when Im feeling lazy, it's a spicy lentil and vegie soup. Absolutely delish. Not sure what brand..sorry.
Also love making bruschetta with red onion, tomato and basil on sourdough bread. xo
What are your favourite frittata recipes? I love a quick & easy meal if you haven't planned ahead... this is my favourite one, but I often change vege's depending on whats in the cupboard.
Vegetable Frittata
6-8 eggs beaten (depending on how big a frittata you want)
1 1/2 cup grated cheese
2 potatos - grated
1 carrot - grated
1 zucchini - grated
1 tomato chopped/diced
1/2 capsicum chopped finely
1/2 red onion chopped finely
1 can creamed corn or 1 cup frozen corn (whichever is most handy)
2-3 slices ham (or not if vego :) )
I chuck the potatoes, carrot, zucchini, capsicum, onion & ham into a fry pan for a few minutes and saute lightly in a spray of olive oil. Then I transfer into a lasagne dish & add the corn, tomatos and cheese in & mix up. I then pour over the eggs and add salt & pepper to the top. I pop it into the over for 20 minutes on around 200 or until the top is brown.
Tuna Frittata
1 400gm tuna in springwater
2 potatos chopped
2 spring onion chopped
2 cups cheese
1 400gm can creamed corn
6 eggs beaten
salt & pepper
spray olive oil
Pop the potatos into a fry pan & saute in olive oil until browned. In a bowl mix together the eggs, corn, tuna & cheese and add salt & pepper. Add to the fry pan over the potatos. Sprinkle shallots on top. Cook on low heat until mostly cooked & then pop into the griller to get the top browned.
I have never made one of these. I think one day soon i will have to give it ago.
your top recipe is very similar to mine but i add a bit of oil and some flour. And a little bit of garlic :)