Back to School: Lunch Box Fillers

With the school holidays coming to an end (where did the time go?) and with a definite Autumnal chill in the air, it's time for 'back to school'.

Uniforms and shoes are well and truly sorted now but have you thought about your child's packed lunch and snacks? It's easy to get stuck in a rut and pack the same ham sandwich and apple but how about trying something new to get your little one really excited about opening their lunch box and seeing what's inside? Of course you need something healthy and tasty and it has to survive the journey to school in their lunch box and still be edible by lunch time, there's nothing worse than a soggy sandwich or a squashed banana.

Here are a few tried and tested ideas for your kid's lunch box to get them (and you) excited about going back to school.

BerryWorld Strawberry Rocky Road (Main picture)

First up is this strawberry rocky road from www.berryworld.com, it is the ultimate naughty but nice snack. Containing three types of fruit you should get away with this as a healthy addition to your child's school lunch box.

Ingredients (serves six)
400g plain chocolate
2 tbsp golden syrup
50g unsalted butter
250g strawberries, hulled and halved
1 apple peeled and cut into chunks
100g blanched almonds
100g dried sour cherries
Icing sugar to dust

Method:
- Line an 8” square tin or small roasting tray with greaseproof paper.
- Melt the chocolate, syrup and butter over a pan of simmering water.
- In a bowl, mix the strawberries, apple, nuts and cherries. Once the chocolate has melted, pour over the fruit and nuts and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, and allow to set.
- Turn the Rocky Road out, and cut into chunks before dusting with icing sugar.

Isle of Wight Tomato Lunchbox Tarts

This delicious quick and easy recipe from www.thetomatostall.co.uk is sure to make your child's lunch the envy of all their friends...

Ingredients (makes four tarts)
375g pack fresh ready-rolled puff pastry
2 heaped tbsp fresh basil pesto
50g Slow Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic, Basil and Extra Virgin Oil (Available from thetomatostall.co.uk) roughly chopped
Two big handfuls of Piccolo tomatoes, halved
100g mozzarella roughly chopped
Olive Oil
Fresh basil leaves to serve

Method:
- Preheat the oven to 190°C
- Unroll the puff pastry and cut into four equal rectangles. Score a 1cm border around the edge. Prick the centre of the pastry all over with a fork, place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10 minutes
- Spread the pesto over the centre of the pastry, top with the chopped slow roasted tomatoes and then the halved Piccolo tomatoes and finally the mozzarella
- Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Return to the oven for 10 minutes
- Serve with a few fresh basil leaves on top

Delicious hot or cold!

Shaken Udder Kids

Shaken Udder Kids milkshakes, which are available in chocolate and strawberry flavours, make drinking milk fun and delicious (my kids absolutely love them!) Both flavours are school approved because they contain less than 5% sugar and can provide young bones with vital nutrients and vitamins such as protein, vitamins B2 (riboflavin) and B12. Even better, Shaken Udder Kids milkshakes are made using real strawberries and Belgian chocolate and contain absolutely no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. Your little ones will also get a fantastic calcium boost in one quick and portable drink. Calcium is vital for growing bones, but is also one of the most common nutrient deficiencies amongst school children.

They are tastiest served cold so why not freeze them and pop them in a lunch box?
Stockist: The Co-Op (and other individual outlets)

Price: From 80p

Crazy Jack Apricots

Perfect as a snack or as part of their packed lunch these delicious apricots are produced just as nature intended. Crazy Jack Apricots are dried in the traditional way under the hot sun without sulphur dioxide, the chemical used as a preservative, which turns dried apricots orange rather than the brown they should be in their wholesome, organic state. Full of natural flavour, Crazy Jack Apricots taste quite different to their orange counterparts.
With six apricots per pack, the 40g bag contains two of your child’s five a day and they are also a good source of antioxidants, particularly carotenoids, which offer protective benefits for the health and immune system. A natural source of both fibre and iron, the apricots’ fibre content will keep your family fuller for longer and provide energy in between meals.
Stockist: Ocado and other independent health stores
Price: 59p

Odysea Feta

Odysea, have launched the UK’s first snacking feta – handy portions of their award winning cheese. Made with sheep & goat’s milk from herds grazing on the rich herbs and flora in the Thessaly Mountains, this delicious cheese boasts a soft, crumbly yet creamy texture, with a scrumptiously tangy, salty flavour. Low in fat, high in vitamin B and calcium, this snacking feta is ultra-convenient and comes in packs of 5 x 30g pouches making them ideal for your children’s lunch box. I was sent some to try from the lovely people at Odysea and it's my new favourite cheese, I've been having it with salads and as a snack on it's own - it's just well it's low calorie too!

Stockist: Waitrose and online at www.odysea.com
Price: £2.65

Bacofoil Zipper Bags

I was sent some of these zipper bags to try out and I have to say they are so useful for many different things, not just for keeping your child's sandwiches fresh! They have a really handy sealable zip closure and are tear proof and water resistant so are perfect for kids lunches and leftovers! And the best thing is they are reusable so you can wash and use again and again - no more shredded bits of cling film to pick out of your child's lunch box! I have also used these bags for our recent holiday for storing our passports and documents in and also for liquids that we had to declare on the plane.
Stockist:Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose, Booths, Costco, Bestway
Price: Medium £2.50, Small £2.00

Smiggle Lunchbox and Smiggle bottle

Smiggle are a favourite brand for school children everywhere, known for their cool stationery, bags and bottles they always come up trumps when it comes to the latest 'must-have' school accessory. My daughter loves her new Smiggle lunch box and squishy bottle in a gorgeous purple and mint unicorn design. There is a useful outer section which is handy for snacks and a wipe-clean lining making it easy to clean and ready to use for the next day.
Stockist: Smiggle
Prices:
Spark Compartment Lunchbox £17.50
Smiggle Says Silicone Roll Bottle £13.50






I hope you like these lunchbox suggestions, let me know your ideas and tips!