12 February 2014
| Last updated on 13 January 2015Lunch Box Ideas for Kids
Are you looking for great lunch box ideas for your little ones? As a parent, packing a school lunch for your kids can be tough. You need to balance the nutritional needs whilst offering foods your child will actually enjoy eating at school. It is very important that foods should include much needed minerals, nutrients and vitamins for school day energy and growth. Here are some tips from ExpatWoman for a healthy lunch box.
Carbohydrates
A good source of carbohydrate should be on top of the list when packing a lunch. It provides enough energy for the kids and this can be a sandwich, rice or corn flakes. If you are looking for the best source of energy, pick the wholegrain varieties of cereals and breads. These foods are digested slowly than the processed white selections which will keep them fuller throughout the day.
Vegetables and Proteins
Protein foods help maintain the concentration levels of the children throughout the afternoon. If you opt for sandwiches, make sure you include lean protein such as chicken, ham or salmon. Vegetables make the children full as well so try adding lettuce, celery or cucumber.
Fruits
As the popular saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Fruits are the best snack for your little ones. Adding a piece of banana or a small container of grapes or strawberries will keep them away from junk foods available at the cafeteria.
Water
If you are looking for a drink of choice, it should be water. Sodas and fruit juices contain high amount of sugar and it’s not recommended to consume daily. Besides, you need to hydrate yourself in Dubai especially during the hot summer days.
We’ve listed some recipes for a perfect lunch box for your kids
Cherry Glazed Cronuts
Ingredients:
For dough:
125g bread flour
125g plain flour
150g butter
45ml milk
45ml water
35g sugar
8g dry yeast
4g salt
1pc egg
Cherry filling:
250g cherries
60g sugar
25g flour
3pc eggs
Finishing:
200g icing sugar
50g egg white
Strawberry
Preparation method:
For the dough:
Blend the flour, yeast, butter and sugar in a food processor.
In a small pan, warm milk and water and set aside.
Combine the mixture, milk and the egg and place your dough in a chiller.
For the filling:
Combine flour, eggs, sugar and cherry and heat.
For the glazing:
Combine icing sugar, strawberries, lemon and egg white.
To make:
Get your dough, dust with flour and knead.
Fold the dough while brushing off excess flour.
Cut the dough in circular shapes and deep fry at 160 C for a minute on each side.
Be creative and put together the filling and glaze. Enjoy!
Healthy Banana Loaf
Ingredients:
2 bananas
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
30ml hot milk
125 butter
175g caster sugar
2 eggs
225g flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
Preparation method:
Preheat the oven to 180 C. Grease and line 1 kilo of loaf tin.
In a mixing bowl, mash the bananas thoroughly. Set aside.
Dissolve bicarbonate of soda in hote milk and then mix with the banana.
Add caster sugar, butter, eggs, flour and baking powder. Mix thoroughly for 2 minutes until well distributed.
Turn the mixture into the loaf tin and bake until the loaf has risen. Approx. 1 hour (Test if well baked by inserting a skewer into the centre; it should come clean)
Note:
You can freeze the banana during the weekend and have it sliced during the week for a great lunchbox treat.
Orange Muffins
Ingredients:
130g flour
130g whole-wheat flour
140g brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3g salt
3g ground cinnamon
3 tsp grated orange zest
80ml orange juice
160ml buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
60ml butter, melted
60g walnuts, chopped
For the icing:
150g cream cheese
100g icing sugar
50ml orange juice
Orange zest to decorate
Preparation method:
Preheat the oven to 200 C. Grease the muffin pan.
In a mixing bowl, put together flours, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, orange juice, and cinnamon.
Get another bowl and combine orange juice, buttermilk, vanilla extract, egg and butter.
Add the egg mixture and milk to the flour mixture. Stir until evenly combined. Now fold the chopped walnuts.
Evenly divide the mixture among the muffin cups and sprinkle with sugar. Place the muffin pan in the oven and bake until lightly browned. Approx. 20 minutes.
Place on a wire rack to cool.
To make the icing:
Bea together the cheese, orange juice and sugar. Once the muffins are completely cool, top each with a spoonful of icing and pinch of orange zest.
Ingredients:
1 tin tuna in olive oil
0.5oz. Horseradish mustard
1oz. Shredded lettuce
½ tomato sliced
Juice of ¼ lemon
1 pita pocket
Preparation method:
In a bowl mix the tuna, horseradish and lemon juice; Toast the pita pocket and stuff it with the tuna; add the lettuce and tomato and serve
Avocado and Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients:
1/2 avocado
Fresh lemon juice
Cheese
Tomato, sliced
2 bread slices
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation method:
In a small bowl, mash 1/2 avocado and add fresh lemon juice. Season it to taste with salt and pepper.
Get the slices of bread and spread the avocado mixture.
Then add the cheese and tomato and pressed with the other slice.
Bagel Banana and Strawberry
Ingredients:
1 tsp honey
1 wheat bagel, halved and toasted
1 banana, sliced
4 strawberries, sliced
2 tbsp peanut butter
Salt to taste
Preparation method:
Mix together peanut, honey, salt in a bowl.
Divide the mixture between bagel and top with banana and strawberry slices.
Easy Peasy Pancakes
Ingredients:
3.5oz. flour
Pinch of salt
0.5 fl oz. melted butter
1 egg
10fl oz. milk
Preparation method:
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the center.
Crack the egg into the well and incorporate into the flour, add the butter and continue mixing until no lumps are visible. Add half the milk and beat to make a smooth batter. Mix in the remaining milk than leave the mixture to stand for a half hour. Mix once more before using the batter.
Heat a thick bottomed pan and grease lightly. Spoon in the pancake batter and allow to cook fopr a minute or so. Flip the pancake and continue cooking until the pancake has browned slightly.
Serve with berries, cream, lemon or sugar or a combination of the ingredients.
Banana Chocolate Muffins (Eggless)
Ingredients:
Refined flour (maida) - 2 cups
Sugar - 3/4 cups
Ripe banana pulp - 2 cups
Quick cooking oats - 1/2 cups
Baking soda - 3/4 tsp
Baking powder - 3/4 tsp
Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Refined oil - 1/3 cup
Chocolate chips - 1/4 cup
Crushed walnuts - 1/4 cup
Preparation method:
Line the muffin tin with paper liners and grease lightly with butter, and preheat oven to 180 degree F.
Chop and puree the bananas with a hand blender.
Add sugar and oil in the mashed banana and beat well with a whisk.
Mix together flour,baking powder, baking soda and salt and sieve twice.
Now add this flour mixture and oats in the banana mixture, and beat well.
Gently mix in the chocolate chips and crushed walnuts.
Fill each muffin cup till 3/4.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean from the cake.
Let it cool down for 5 minutes then remove from the pan - or else the muffins paper liners will become soggy.
Sloppy Joes
Ingredients:
1/2 kg ground beef - ground
1 tbsp steak season seasoning (recipe below)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 red onions - chopped small
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 burger bread buns - lightly toasted and buttered
Seasoning:
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp salt
Preparation method:
Pour some oil in a large pan.
Let it get hot on medium-high heat.
Then add the meat in and fry for a while.
Toss in the seasoning mix and brown sugar.
Stir and mix well so that it combines good.
Add onion and red peppers - When the meat has started to brown.
Now turn down the heat to medium and add the Worcestershire
sauce along with the balsamic and red wine vinegar.
Allow everything in the pan to cook with the meat for 10 minutes.
Thereafter, add in the tomato sauce and paste to pan.
Stir well and then let it simmer (on low heat).
Let the "Sloppy Joe" mixture to cook for another 5 - 10 minutes.
Place the lightly buttered and toasted burger bread buns (cut in the middle) on your plate.
Take a large spoon and pile on the "Sloppy Joe" meat on the bun bottoms - and cover with the bun tops.
Serve hot Sloppy Joes with potato wedges or French fries.
Healthy Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients:
2 raw chicken breasts
4 tbsp liquid egg whites (or 2 eggs)
4 tbsp almond powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
Preparation method:
First, preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
Cut the raw chicken into small bitesize pieces.
In a big bowl mix the almond powder, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Dip the chicken pieces one by one into the egg whites and then roll them in the almond powder mixture until fully coated.
Place it on a baking tray coated with a nonstick spray.
Once you’ve coated all of the chicken pieces, bake them at 180 degrees for 20 minutes.
If you want to crisp them up a bit pop them under the grill for 5 minutes.
Sliced fruits and vegetables
It’s important to pack dips separate. Add a yoghurt and honey dip for fruits and honey mustard dip or herbed mayonnaise for vegetables
Hummus
Here’s a simple and delicious recipe that’s really quick:
Ingredients:
1 cup chick peas (if using canned, reserve liquid)
1-2 lemons, juiced
2 cloves garlic
1 ½ tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp. tahini paste (optional)
4-5 tbsp reserved liquid from chick peas or water
1 cup good olive oil and salt to taste
Preparation method:
In a food processor, process garlic until finely crushed. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Add more olive oil, chick pea reserved liquid, or water to reach a creamy consistence.
Ingredients:
½ cup butter
1 ½ cup graham cracker crumbs
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
3 ½ ounce can flaked coconut
1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
Preparation method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter in a square baking pan. Melt in oven. Remove pan from oven and carefully tilt pan to spread melted butter around. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over melted butter. Pour sweetened condensed milk over the crumbs. Top with remaining ingredients. Bake 25 minutes. Cool. Cut into bars. Delicious!
Blueberry Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients:
2 cups oats
1 ¼ cups flour
½ cup sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup cold butter
1 cup blueberry preserve
Preparation method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and vanilla. Cut the cold butter into cubes and add to the dry ingredients. Work the butter into the dry mix with your fingers, until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Divide the mixture in half. Press one half firmly into a square baking dish and bake until lightly browned at the edges, about 15 minutes. Spread the blueberry preserve on the slightly baked oat layer, and sprinkle the remaining mixture on top. Bake until the top is golden brown, around 15 to 20 minutes. Cool. Cut into bars.
So gather up your kids and friends, pack a delicious picnic basket, and enjoy the gorgeous Dubai sun. Bon appétit!
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