Quick and Healthy Lunches for School

Now that our children are back to school, it is a rush to make sure everything is organised in the morning before the dreaded, traffic-filled run. So, making a healthy lunch might be on your to-do, but still a tricky task to accomplish in the morning. But with a bit of creativity and planning, you can give your kids some of the best healthy meals they will love without rushing to the door.

Benefits of packing healthy lunches

Sending your kids back to school in the right way entails a good, healthy lunch that they will enjoy. By packing a good lunch, you not only help build up their immune systems by ensuring they have the right nutrients and vitamins for a day of learning, but you can also teach them well-balanced meals and healthy eating habits from a young age. By opting for home meals, you can avoid your children choosing unhealthier options and make sure they’re eating right. This is great for fussy eaters, too, who might need their food monitoring a bit more closely to know they’re getting all the vitamins and minerals they need.

Planning ahead for quick lunches

Your morning is already packed with finding missing shoes and making sure everyone has their PE kit sorted. So, you don’t need the added stress of whipping up a lengthy lunchbox meal first thing in the morning. Instead, planning with some quick but nutritious meals can be a game-changer! Whether you’re taking a moment over the weekend to meal prep your lunches for both you and the kids(!), or you’re spending time the night before packing leftovers or making quick recipes to fill your little ones’ bellies, taking some time away from the morning rush to prepare can give you more time. Save yourself the stress of making some last-minute omelette cupcakes in the morning by planning and getting prepared. Versatile ingredients that work for many meals should be number one on your next shopping list. Try pre-cooked chicken, roasted veggies, and boiled eggs to easily make a variety of salads or sandwiches and to get a good balance of proteins and minerals into your kids’ lunchbox.

You don’t need to just consider food; hydration is just as important for growing children. Here at SUSO, our soft drink cans, easily accessible from most school canteens, contain one of your five a day – adding flavour and fun to their lunches. Encouraging your kids to stay hydrated is a key element for their education. So alongside making sure they have packed their refillable water bottle, make sure they have some spare change to purchase a juice drink on their lunch break.

Made with real juice & no artificial flavouring

Hacking a healthy salad your kids will love

We all know the benefits of salads, with all the vitamins and nutrients you can shove into this easy-to-make meal. But they don’t actually have to be as boring as they once were! It is time to get a bit creative with your salad creations and hack the perfect salad for your kids’ lunches. Add as much colour as you can to add a bit of brightness to their meals. Mix and match vegetables your kids love, including cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and even beetroot, to create a bright, vibrant meal your kids will love. Not only will they easily get one of their five a day, if not more, but tomatoes are actually a good source of brain power – making them perfect for school.

If your salad is still a bit spare, or you just want to add a better balance into the mix, protein can give your children the extra energy boost they need to stay focused in class. Sources like chicken and chickpeas are great additions to salad. And if you’re wanting some texture variety, croutons or cheese as a topping can be a good addition, too.

Roll on the roll-ups and wraps

For an easy-to-go option customisable to your kid’s tastes and preferences, a wrap or roll-up could be your bread-based saviour! Try using whole wheat tortillas as a base, which adds a nutrient boost, or for the non-breaded option, you could use lettuce leaves. Then, simply fill it with your kids’ favourite ingredients. Whether they’re a hummus hoover or avid avocado lover – if you can roll it, shove it in. Some of your kids’ favourite sandwich combinations, such as a BLT, can be made in wrap form – with crunch bacon and juicy tomatoes for the best flavour combination. These wraps don’t just taste good; they offer a great balance of proteins, vegetables, and carbs.

And you can make them the day before – or even make the filling ready to place in a wrap quickly in the morning. Why not pack the ingredients separately to give your kid their interactive meal? And if they’re fussy about what to put in, you can give them the option to use those ingredients or not.

Snacks for your picky eater

Is your kid funny with textures, doesn’t like sauces, or just a generally fussy eater? Don’t worry, we’ve got some snackable options which can appeal to even the pickiest eaters in the school canteen. If your kid loves a crunch, choosing cucumber or carrot sticks could be a great, simple snack. Side this with some hummus in a separate pot to let them dip into when and if they want to. Or you can try making some fruit kebabs with their favourite, at-home-approved fruits. Try grapes, melon, and berries for a variety of colours. If your kid is a popcorn person, adding this to their lunch with a sprinkle of cheese or herbs can be an unusual but delicious snack for any lunchbox.

Packing a vitamin punch with fruit and veggies

Nothing makes a meal look more appetising than bright colours. No one wants to eat a beige lunch. For a refreshing and sweet treat, try adding slices of pineapple or watermelon into the mix, or if your kid is fussy about textures, avoid slime-y fruits and choose something a bit safer, like apples and pears. Baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, or cucumber slices can be a great savoury alternative, and these bite-size pieces can make the perfect snack or addition to any meal. Not only will the texture varieties offer a good change in their lunch boxes, but they can also be hydrating too! Adding these fruit and veggies, or even the variety of meals above, into your lunchboxes means you can have easy-to-make meals at hand, which add a variety of vitamins and minerals for your kid’s natural growth.

With your kids back at school, it is an exciting time which can often push everyone out of their summer routines. But by preparing and planning your lunchbox meals ahead of time, you can ensure you’re starting the year off right – vitamins, minerals, and all.