One more week until school holidays...
Who else feels challenged to keep up with their kids appetites and preferences fover school holidays with the kids at home more?
While it's tempting to resort to quick fixes, providing nutritious meals during the break is essential for our kid's growth and development.
Here are ten lunch ideas that will keep your kids satisfied and energized throughout the holiday and hopefully mean you aren't in the kitchen every 20 minutes figuring out what to feed them next.
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Bento Box Bonanza: Who says lunchboxes are only for when they are at school? Try filling their bento lunchboxes with colorful, fun and nutritious foods. Include a variety of options like sliced fruits, veggies, cheese cubes, crackers, and bite-sized sandwiches. Let your child customize their box for a personalized touch. Give them options of what to include.
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DIY Wrap Station: Set up a wrap station with tortillas, a selection of proteins like ham and chicken, along with an array of veggies and spreads such as hummus or guacamole. Allow the kids to assemble their own wraps for a fun and interactive lunchtime activity.
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Veggie-Packed Pasta Salad: Whip up a pasta salad loaded with vegetables like cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and broccoli. Dress it lightly with olive oil and lemon juice for extra flavor or their favourite dressing.
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Homemade Pizza Pockets: Skip the frozen pizza and opt for a homemade version instead. Fill dough with pizza sauce, grated cheese, and an assortment of veggies that you know they like and bake until golden brown for a delicious lunchtime treat.
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Sushi Roll Surprise: Roll up some sushi with a twist by using ingredients that kids love. Swap out raw fish for cooked options like crab sticks or smoked salmon. Include avocado, cucumber, and carrot strips for added nutrition. After rolling, slice up for easy serving or for the novelty, feel free to cut roll in half and give them long bits (you don't often get that at the sushi shop!!)
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Fruity Yogurt Parfaits: Layer Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and granola to create colorful and nutrient-rich parfaits. Let your kids get creative by choosing their favourite fruits like berries or sliced banana. This is a nice easy breakfast or lunch option.
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Quesadillas: Fill with your choice of meat and grated cheese for a protein-packed lunch option. Serve with salsa, guacamole, and greek yogurt for dipping to add extra flavor and nutrition.
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Rainbow Veggie Wraps: Roll up some rainbow-colored veggies like shredded carrots, purple cabbage, spinach, and capsicum in a wrap. Add a smear of cream cheese or hummus for a creamy texture and extra flavor. These vibrant wraps are as nutritious and are pretty to look at too which is so important to our kids.
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Ham and Cheese Roll-Ups: Roll slices of ham around cheese sticks or cucumber spears. Secure with toothpicks (or better yet, our Noonys foodpicks) and serve with crackers and a side of fruit for a balanced meal.
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Lunch platter: Add sliced deli meats, cheese, and bite-sized crackers with some cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and sliced fruit for a well-rounded meal that's sure to please.
With a little creativity and planning, providing healthy and enjoyable lunches for your kids during the school holidays is easier than you think. So, roll up your sleeves, get cooking, and watch as your kids devour these delicious and nutritious meals!