Perfection Fresh have teamed up with the “lunch box Queen”, Amy Whiteford to help you conquer the dreaded lunchbox duty. With these seven simple hacks you’re sure to eliminate stress and encourage the kids to love their lunchbox.
Bento Bravo
Bento style lunch boxes are all the rage, but an easy cheat is to simply divide up your kid’s lunch box using silicon patty-pans. It’s a great way to pack in a variety of fruit and veggies that will keep them interested. It also doesn’t have to add to the morning rush – I simply chop up extra veggies as I’m making dinner.
Supersize your Veggies
No tricks or magic, just pop in whole veggies. Perfection Qukes, bite-size tomatoes, and carrots are all perfect for this. Not only does it cut down on prep time, but a recent Australian study has also shown kids are likely to eat more!
Love Leftovers
Some foods are great cold the next day so why not cook extra and add leftovers to the lunch boxes. If I’m making chicken fajitas, I always cook a little extra. In the mornings I just shred the leftover chicken for a tasty filling to stuff in Perfection Qukes.
Go Dippy
Kids love to dip – don’t we all – and it is a great way to encourage fussy eaters to eat their veggies. Greek yoghurt is a great dip base that can be easily varied by adding herbs, spices and citrus. My favourite quick dip combo is Greek yoghurt mixed with a little mayonnaise and a good shake of smoked paprika.
Sandwich Switch
Simply presenting food differently can make a huge difference. Why not try shaping a sandwich with cookie cutters (it’s a quick way to cut off crusts too) or roll up a sandwich into sushi-style bites – mine love the combo of ham, cream cheese and Perfection Qukes. Sometimes I even ditch the bread and simply use the ham spread with cream cheese to roll-up the Perfection Qukes.
Rainbows Rule
There’s no doubt more colourful and appealing food will have a better chance of being eaten. Adding a rainbow of fruit and veggies to lunch boxes also helps to
ensure your kids get a wide range of nutrients to fuel their growing bodies. Bento boxes are great for this or try veggie and fruit skewers for something different at crunch and sip.
Freezer Friends
I love my freezer and it’s always stocked ready for a morning grab and dash. Mini quiches, sandwiches, muffins, scrolls and some dips all freeze well and can help save time on the most chaotic of mornings.
For a range of back to school lunchbox recipes and even more hacks head www.perfection.com.au
