Great 'cheap but nutritious packed lunches' hunt

Former_MSE_Lee

What savvy tips do parents have for stuffing their lunchboxes with? Let's try to keep it nutritious though - ketchup sandwiches won't cut it i'm afraid!

Hit reply with your suggestions.

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algie_2

My daughter loves lentil wedges in her packed lunch, its really tasty, cheap to make and good for her too, makes a change from sandwiches!

Cheesy Lentil wedges

Ingredients

250g Red Lentils
500ml Water
25g Butter
1 Large Onion, finely chopped
2 Carrots, grated
100g Cheddar Cheese, grated
25g Wholemeal breadcrumbs
1 tsp dried herbs
1 Free Range Egg

*wash the lentils, then put in a pan with the measured water and boil until cooked and water absorbed, about 10-15 minutes.
*Meanwhile fry the onion in the butter until soft.
*Then combine the cooked lentils, onions and all the remaining ingredients, then press into an oiled baking tray.
*Bake in a preheated oven 190 degrees C for 30 minutes.
*Allow to cool slightly before cutting into wedges

I usually send with pot of (homemade) tomato sauce and a mixed salad, fruit or yoghurt for afters!



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Doubtful

Ooh, Cheesy Lentil Wedges, that sounds nice. Will try that one myself! Thanks Algie

mortgagemiffed

lentil wedges??? Homemade tomato sauce...??? Crikey.... I was thinking more carrot and cucumber sticks..... I dont have that sort of time :-(

fluffytrollop

mmmmyum...me too! ta for that! mine come home saying so and so had a can of coke and a mars bars for lunch...gee blimey...

fluffytrollop

decent butties, left over pastry for cheese rolls (freeze the leftover sauce from macaroni cheese and bung it in rolled out puff pastry for these...works out as a bit of a bogof) home made malt loaf...cake made wi veg - marrow's good, so's carrot, parsnip, turnip too.usually buy a few when the puff pastry's on offer in the freezer section.

mortgagemiffed

awwww... can of coke and a mars bar.. How sad :-(

mortgagemiffed

fluffytrollop wrote: »

mmmmyum...me too! ta for that! mine come home saying so and so had a can of coke and a mars bars for lunch...gee blimey...

was that a secondary school?

reluctantworkingmum

crunchy peanut butter (homemade - sooo easy) on oat & sunflower bread....

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florabell

I make fairy cakes to try and save money, but it doesn't work out that way because they disappear rather too rapidly ........... (I know - I should stay away from the cake box ..........)

katyboo123

Here's my tip...

Corned Beef or Tuna Savoury

Make it up on a Sunday night (will keep for 5/6 days), out of one tin of either, there is enough here to do at least 5 days sandwiches (2 slices of bread) for two kids...

1 tin (smart price or similar) corned beef / tuna £1.20
2/3 Courgettes - Grated £1
Bag of grated Carrots 50p
2/3 Red Onions - Diced really finely 30p
Tomato Sauce

Mash / mix all ingredients together, then add tomato sauce a squidge at a time until it becomes a spreadable consistancy.

Tuna is obviously great for growing kids, but you might be a bit worried about corned beef. Because you're using the corned beef over a number of days (approx 10 sandwiches) there is really nothing to worry about, so for example, in a tin of Corned Beef there is 18g Sat Fats, but over 10 Sandwiches this equates to just 1.8g per Sandwich!

It's cheap and easy to make and if you fancy an adult supper, take a spoonful of savoury and a spoonful of mash and then roll in to a patty and fill for corned beef cake or fish cake yummy! Plus if you're a really busy Mum or Dad, this takes about 15 minutes to do on a Sunday, then whack it in two slices of bread, with some lettuce or sliced tomato, no butter / marg required cause the tomato sauce makes it moist enough...

And lastly, I bet most kids wouldn't eat courgettes normally - it totally disguises their taste and just adds a pleasant crunch! xx

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