PICK OF THE PACKS

Delicious ideas to help you create ‘gut friendly’, healthy packed lunches for youngsters.

According to NHS Choices, a healthy packed lunch for children should contain: 

– Starchy food like bread, potatoes, rice, or pasta

– Protein foods such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts or beans

– A dairy item like cheese or yoghurt

– Vegetables or salad and a portion of fruit

Making a lunchbox look colourful and fun will encourage young children to get excited about healthy food. And varying the contents from day to day will help to prevent children from falling into the habit of only eating certain things.

 

Here are a few recipe ideas to try out.
If you have any lunchbox ideas you would like to pass on please CLICK HERE and use the ‘comments’ box on the page footer.

TUNA AND BEAN SALAD

You will need:

  • 3 tsp olive oil
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Large pinch of dried mixed herbs
  • Large pinch of mustard powder
  • Large pinch of black pepper
  • 1 slice of pepper, chopped
  • 2 spring onions, sliced
  • 3cm piece of cucumber, chopped
  • 1 heaped tbsp canned mixed beans in water, drained
  • ½ x 160g can of tuna in spring water, drained
  • To serve: 1 thick slice of wholemeal bread and lower-fat spread

Mix the oil, lemon juice, mixed herbs, mustard powder and black pepper. Add to the salad vegetables, beans and tuna and mix gently. Serve with wholemeal bread, pitta or pasta. Double the quantities to use the rest of the can of tuna and save for the next day. Complete your lunchbox with a satsuma (or other seasonal fruit), slice of malt loaf and 200ml semi-skimmed milk.

HUMMUS DIP WITH VEGETABLE STICKS AND PITTA

You will need:

    • 2 heaped tbsp tinned chickpeas
    • Juice of ½ lemon
    • 1 tbsp low-fat Greek style yoghurt
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • ¼ tsp paprika (or to taste)
    • ¼ tsp cumin (or to taste)
    • 1 clove of garlic (peeled)
    • 1 large wholemeal pitta bread, cut into strips
    • 1 small carrot, cut into sticks
    • 1 stick of celery, cut into sticks

Put the chickpeas, lemon juice, yoghurt, oil, spices and garlic in a bowl. Mix together until smooth using a hand blender. Make the hummus the previous evening and store in the fridge to save time and allow the flavours to develop. Serve with the pitta bread strips and carrot, cucumber and celery sticks. Complete your lunchbox with a banana, sugar-free jelly pot and small bottle of water.

SPICY CHICKEN SALAD WRAP

You will need:

  • 3 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp low-fat Greek style yoghurt
  • ¼ tsp of curry powder, to taste
  • Large pinch of chilli powder, to taste
  • 85g cooked chicken breast, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 large wholemeal wrap
  • Small wedge of lettuce, to give 2 tbsp when shredded
  • 3 slices of cucumber, chopped
  • 1 slice of pepper, chopped

This is a great way to use leftover roast chicken. Mix the yoghurt and spices to taste and add the chicken. Spread the chicken mixture on the wrap, then sprinkle on the lettuce, cucumber and pepper. Try other salad vegetables – grated carrot and chopped celery work well, too. Fold opposite edges of the wrap, to keep the filling in, then roll up and cut in half.

Complete your lunchbox with peach and strawberry slices, homemade popcorn (for example flavoured with cinnamon), 150ml fruit juice drink (with no added sugar)

 

PASTA SALAD

You will need:

  • 400g pasta
  • 4-5 tbsp fresh pesto
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
  • ½ lemon, juice
  • 200g mixed cooked veg such as peas, green beans, courgette (chop the beans and courgette into pea-sized pieces)
  • 100g cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 200g cooked chicken, ham, prawns, hard-boiled egg or cheese

Cook the pasta in boiling water until it is al dente (about 11 mins). Drain and tip into a bowl. Stir in the pesto and leave to cool. When the pasta is cool, stir through the mayo, yogurt, lemon juice and veg. Spoon into lunchboxes or on to pasta plates and put the cooked chicken or protein of your choice on top. Chill until ready to eat if intended for a packed lunch.

Complete your lunchbox with a small container of blueberries, flax seeds and almonds and a small bottle of water. 

 

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