Packed Lunches for School

zippychick

ive merged this with our packed lunches for school thread

Zip

hollyf86

Ok, so kids are back to school, need some more lunch box ideas at the lowest price possible, and I try to keep them healthy as possible.

I usually put in,
carrots sticks or raisins or fruit,
a sandwich, ham, peanut butter, egg etc
a basic yoghurt, or some rice pudding put into a little pot, sometimes jelly

would like to maybe give them a little more variety.

runrosyfox

Do they like pitta bread? (Nice with a little chicken/cheese and salad.) Or pasta salads mixed up with some veg (from frozen) are cheap and filling.

The cherry tomatoes I grew last year from seed kept me in lunches for most of August/September Still waiting this year though.. hasn't been grow-your-own weather!

[Deleted User]

Hi HOLLY - how about a little jar of Hummus to go with the veg sticks, and give them some cucumber and pepper sticks as well as the carrot. If they like celery 'Ants on Logs' is fun, 3" pieces of celery with l/f soft cheese in the cavity and raisins stuck into the cheese (needs wrapping in something or can be messy). If they like eggs, little mini-tortilla omelettes made in bun tins and let go cold are nice and you can ring the changes with flavours. Hope that helps Cheers Lyn.

hollyf86

I like the ideas of pasta, my food bill is very low, spending £35 a week on food and toileties and cleaning products. I think i have some dried chickpeas in the cupboard may make some homemade hummus! carrots are as far as my food budget caters for at the moment.

My sons like tune and sweetcorn pasta so I might start giving him that, but my daughter is a bit fussier. I guess A tomatoe pasta salad ,aybe, I'll have to try making something up with some tinned toms.

Butterfly_Brain

Cous cous is another alternative. Those little pots of dessert work out really expensive, could you not get a tin of basic rice pudding (12p) and decant into little boxes/pots (They have them in poundland in sets of 6 or 8) That should cover at least two days desserts add some ready to eat apricots, craisins, dried apple, sultanas etc to vary. The same can be done with custard 17p a tin just add dried apple, bananas etc

pinkypig

Mine really like wraps and pitta bread for a change from ordinary sandwiches. Making jelly in little pots make a really good cheap pudding. I also have a great recipe for any time cookies. You just blend 6 oz of plain flour, 4 oz of marg and 2 oz of sugar. Roll the mix into a sausage and wrap in cling film. You can then freeze it and just slice straight from the freezer it into rough cookie shapes and and bake for about 8 - 10 minutes at about 190 degrees. I usually shove a tray of them in when I've got the oven on for something else and there is some space. PP xx

Possession

How old are your children? Just asking as some ideas aren't really practical for younger children. My son likes value pitta with a cheese triangle spread inside but dislikes almost all sandwich fillings which is a real pain (especially since I used to run a sandwich business so there was a lot of choice!). He won't eat cold pizza either, pasta doesn't get eaten as he doesn't 'have time' for that kind of eating, couscous - forget it. So I've just had to accept that he has a monotonous 'main item' in his lunchbox, and give him other things to fill it out. I make jellys with fruit in, various cakes or muffins, cheese scones.

hollyf86

My daughters 6 and now gone into year 2, my son is 3 and has 2 lunch time sessions at nursery.

Thanks butterfly brain i do used tinned rice pudding and custard (basics obviously!) I get 3 puddings out of one tin. I know tesco used to sell value jelly but they don't seem to anymore online as I do most of my supermarket shopping online as I don't drive and aren't any supermarkets close enough by (unless I cycle for half an hour)

My son will eat anything at all and is never any trouble, my daughter is slightly more fussy but have got her a bit better over summer hols and got her eating egg mayo sandwiches as well!

Mostly the lunch boxes have to cost next to nothing. Daughter does like wraps and pitta, I think I have some pittas in the freezer, but only filling I have for tomorrow is jam, was going to make hunnus but realised I have run out of garlic and lemon juice! I have seen a lentil pate recipe somewhere before but can't remember where I found it, think the kids would eat that. May have to be jam sandwichs, with custard pots and raisins for tomorrow as my cupboards getting low, shopping being delivered tuesday evening.

hollyf86

Kids also love strawberry whip (10p tesco) like angel delight type stuff, great in little pots.