How to Pack a Fun & Nutritious Lunchbox
If you’ve fallen in a rut with packing lunchboxes and are feeling bored with it, imagine how your child must feel … Time to switch things up in a fun (but nutritious) way.
Straight talk: we all aim to provide our children (and ourselves!) with healthy, inviting lunchboxes. But sometimes it can be hard to find the energy or the inspiration.
The thing to remember is that fresh, vibrant food is its own reward – and a little planning goes a long way. To help you plan, you might want to keep in mind these four broad categories – try to include something substantial, something crunchy, something colourful and something (slightly) sweet. Don’t look at it as a hard rule – just see it as a good way to incorporate flavour, variety, texture and an element of fun.
Something Substantial
Every lunchbox needs something substantial to keep those energy levels, well, level. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a nice wholewheat sarmie. But in the interest of variety, consider some of the following:
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A salad that travels well, like a pasta salad. Try something simple like stirring Ina Paarman’s Roast Pepper Pasta Sauce through fresh pasta. Add diced pepper and cucumber, tumble in some small cubes of cheese and you’ve got a super satisfying lunch.
- The savoury muffin is wildly underrated in the packed lunch arena. It keeps well, doesn’t mess much and you can load it with nutritious ingredients like spinach, sweetcorn, sweet pepper and zucchini. Or why not go full gourmet with something like a muffin with Ina Paarman’s Sun-dried Tomato Pesto and feta?
- Another solid choice is adding savoury veggie fritters – think sweetcorn, grated potato or zucchini. Sweet potato and butternut are also fabulous choices and will go down a storm with a dipping sauce made with double-thick yoghurt and a spoonful of Ina Paarman’s Coriander Pesto.
- Meatballs are just perfect for a packed lunch – just add a condiment. Ina Paarman’s Peach Apricot Chutney would really seal the deal. And for a veggie option, falafel with tsatsiki would hit the spot.
The great thing about all of these options? With a bit of meal prep, you can make them in advance and just pop them into the lunchboxes as needed.
Something Seasonal & Colourful
Nothing brings a pop of vibrant colour to a packed lunch like some fresh fruit and veg. And since research shows that most people tend to eat the same (limited) types of fruit and veg each week, now’s the time to branch out. If you automatically reach for apples and bananas throughout the year, that lunchbox might be starting to look a little meh … Some seasonal eating is in order.
Think berries for spring, stone fruit for peak summer, fall stonefruit for autumn (plums, mangoes, papaya, sweet melon) and the wide range of citrus available to us in winter.
For an added fun factor, get playful with your presentation. Fruits like watermelon and melon, peaches and kiwis can be cut into cute shapes with cookie cutters. A fruit sosatie is a good way to work different colours and tastes into one bite. And for a truly delicious fruit snack, wedge together slices of banana, strawberries, apple or nectarines with a lick of nut butter. The key is to mix it up, and add as much colour as you can.
The same goes for your veg – we’re aiming to eat the rainbow. Don’t just stick to the same routine of sliced cucumber and baby tomatoes. Go to town by adding veg like sweet peppers, baby corn, carrots, mushrooms, celery, radishes and even edamame beans. Pop a dipping sauce (peanut or tzatziki) into the lunchbox and it becomes a meal in itself.
For a fun twist on your standard hummus, try swirling a spoonful of Ina Paarman’s Roasted Red Pepper Pesto into the mix.
“Every lunchbox should have something that brings the crunch. Texture is king!”
Something Crunchy
Every lunchbox should have something that brings the crunch. Texture is king! But before you reach for a standard packet of nuts or add a portion of plain salted popcorn, let’s up the ante.
Flavour is your friend, and so is variety. How about toasting some nuts in a spice mix? It’s quick, easy and rewarding. A handful of almonds and walnuts would really benefit from a sprinkling of Ina Paarman’s Garlic & Herb Seasoning.
And a fresh batch of popcorn would really start to sing once dusted with the Ina Paarman Rosemary & Olive Spice – not to mention a dash of Masala spice! Just imagine the inviting flavours emitting from that lunchbox …
Something (Slightly) Sweet
Yes, of course we want to steer clear of sugary foods – not only because most schools request it nowadays, but because we know it can lead to sugar crashes. But it’s nice to add a little treat to reward your kids for a day spent learning and it’s entirely possible to add a small treat that’s not high on refined sugar. And after all, the rest of our lunchbox options so far lean heavily towards the nutritious – we need some fun as well.
Here we’re talking seedbars, an oat crunchie, a dateball or two, even a flapjack that’s been sweetened with fruit like bananas or blueberries. Also a great option is homemade muffins, sweetened with produce like pears, bananas and dates.
And if you don’t have time to bake from scratch, there’s Ina Paarman’s Raisin and Bran Muffin Mix – take it to the next level by adding grated apple or carrot and a pinch of cinnamon. Now, doesn’t that sound scrumptious? Thought so …
FOR MORE INSPIRATION, BROWSE INA PAARMAN’S DELICIOUS RECIPES
All made with the signature Ina Paarman products, crafted from fresh, quality ingredients that are packed with nutrients. Wholesome eating that’s also convenient and easy – it’s right at your fingertips.
