{Sponsored} Back to school complete 4-week lunchbox meal planner
Back to school complete 4-week lunchbox meal planner
With NEW cheese recipes, nutrition notes, lunch packing tips and a whole lot of fun for the kids. Download yours FREE today.
One Handed Cooks and Bega Cheese are excited to bring you an inspiring lunchbox 4-week meal planner ready just in time for the new school term. With multiple recipe ideas and nutrition notes to help with what-to-pack-when, we have created simple and realistic lunchboxes that you will love to pack and the kids will want to eat. So whether you follow the planner every day or pick and choose the ideas for inspiration, we hope that your children will be excited to open their lunchbox every day and enjoy a variety of nutritious foods that helps them to grow, play and learn.
Include a wide variety of foods that contain – quality carbohydrates, fibre, protein, calcium, iron, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids. In addition to a nutritious diet at home this will ensure your children have the nutrients to grow and develop, the concentration to listen and learn while in the classroom and the energy to run and play with their friends in the playground.
Think variety when choosing what to pack – try using fresh, seasonal foods that offer quality nutrients, creative sandwiches made easy using Bega Natural Cheese Slices combined with 100% natural crowd pleaser snacks such as Bega Stringers and Bega Farmers’ Tasty Natural Sticks. Kids are more likely to try something new when it’s alongside something they love.
Remember food safety – being confident in how to safely pack your child’s lunchbox will allow you to include a wide variety of nutritious homemade food for your children without having to resort to the highly processed and packaged snack foods.
Choose water as a drink – it’s essential for keeping kids hydrated. Pack frozen water bottles or add ice cubes to their drink bottle if your child prefers colder water, especially on hot days.
Download your FREE Back to School 4-week lunchbox meal planner now for all our tips on packing a varied lunch box.
Take a moment to be inspired by these delicious lunchbox ideas. For more great recipes plus tips and tricks to create fun, appealing and nutritious lunch boxes download your FREE Back to School 4-week lunchbox meal planner.
Munchtime monster
using Bega Farmers’ Tasty Natural Cheese Slices
1 lunchbox serve = 1 monster sandwich depending on your child’s age and appetite.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
2 slices multigrain bread, crusts trimmed
1 tbsp hummus
30g shredded roast chicken
1 cos lettuce leaf
1 Bega Farmers’ Tasty Natural Cheese Slice
2 sliced rounds of cucumber
2 sliced rounds of carrot
1 blueberry, halved
Method
To create the monster sandwich take one slice of bread and cut out a rectangle shape near the bottom – this will be the mouth opening, set aside. Take the second slice of bread, spread with hummus and top with the roast chicken. Trim the lettuce leaf to resemble the monster’s spiky hair and arrange with 1cm of the ‘hair’ poking out the top. Place the remaining slice of bread on top
Take the slice of Bega cheese and carefully cut in half. Use a knife to trim one half into spiky monster teeth. Carefully tuck the teeth under the bread mouth so the teeth are showing.
Finally, arrange the eyes on your monster by layering one slice of cucumber, carrot and then the blueberry half. You can use some extra hummus to stick the eyes down on the bread if desired.
Download your FREE Back to School 4-week lunchbox meal planner
Storage tip: wrap your assembled monster in plastic wrap to hold it together. Pack a small ice brick or frozen water bottle in the lunch so it stays fresh until lunchtime.
Top tip: cutting sandwiches into shapes can transform the simplest of sandwiches and may be just the thing to inspire them to take a bite and give it a try.
Lunchtime Caterpillars
using Bega Farmers’ Tasty Natural Cheese Sticks
1 lunchbox serve = 2 caterpillars depending on your child’s age and appetite
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
2 Bega Farmers’ Tasty Natural Cheese Sticks
1 small tomato + 4 cherry tomatoes
1 small cucumber
½ small yellow capsicum
1 tsp whole egg mayonnaise, optional
4 x wooden food skewers
Method
First, slice 1 x 2mm pieces of cheese off the end of each Bega cheese stick. Use the end of a drinking straw to press into the cheese slice to create 2 small round ‘eyes’, repeat with the second slice and set aside for later.
Next, slice each Bega stick into 6 cubes. De-seed the tomato and cut the firm flesh into 8 cubes equal in size to the cheese. Cut the cucumber and capsicum into 8 equal cubes.
Thread each skewer in a pattern of cheese, tomato, cucumber and capsicum leaving room at the end for the cherry tomato head. Repeat, and finish with a cube of cheese. Push a cherry tomato on the top to cover the end. Cut the tip off the sharp end of the skewer. Repeat with the remaining skewers and remaining ingredients.
To create the face, completely dry the cherry tomato with paper towel and use the end of a skewer to dot on two spots of mayonnaise. Carefully stick the cheese rounds onto the mayonnaise to create your eyes – you can stick optional cucumber eyes on top to create a more realistic looking critter!
Download your FREE Back to School 4-week lunchbox meal planner
Storage tip: store caterpillars snuggly in an airtight container to stop them from moving around. An ice pack placed in a cooler bag will help to keep these fresh.
Top tip: You can use whatever fruit or vegetables are seasonal or that your child likes best. Softer vegetables are easier to thread on the skewer.
Cheesy lamb and quinoa moon balls
using Bega Farmers’ Easy Melt Colby Natural Cheese Slices
1 lunchbox serve = 2-4 meatballs depending on your child’s age and appetite.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
500g organic diced lamb (or lamb mince)
1 brown onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 egg (optional)
1 cup cooked quinoa (or use 1 cup breadcrumbs)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup chopped button mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to fry
1 Bega Easy Melt Colby Natural Cheese Slice
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Cook your quinoa according to pack instructions.
Using a food processor, process the lamb until finely chopped. Add the mushrooms, onion and garlic and process to combine.
Transfer the lamb mixture to a bowl. Add the egg, cooked quinoa, Worcestershire sauce and parsley. Use your hands to thoroughly mix the ingredients together. Shape into small golf-ball sized meatballs, gently flatten slightly and set aside. If you have time refrigerate the meatballs for 30 minutes before cooking.
Heat the oil in a large fry pan over medium. Add the meatballs in batches and fry for around 2-3 minutes either side. Once browned, transfer to the baking tray and bake in the oven for around 10 minutes to ensure the meat is cooked through.
Cut the cheese slice into 4 even quarters (or cut into cute shapes) and place over 4 of the hot meatballs and allow the cheese to melt. Store in the fridge until ready to be packed in lunch boxes
Download your FREE Back to School 4-week lunchbox meal planner
Storage tip: you can freeze any uncooked meatballs that you aren’t likely to eat at this point, simply wrap in individual portions and freeze for up to 2 months. Leftover cooked meatballs can be store in the fridge for up to 1-2 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Keep it cool: Refrigerate the meatballs until your child leaves for school, and pack a small ice brick or frozen water bottle in the lunch so it stays cool until lunchtime.
