Just a few more days and the kids will be back at school. This weekend is a great time to do some preparation so that the transition from holidays to school is stress free – at least in relation to food. It is so important that children eat well at school so that they are calm, focused and able to learn.
You can get ready by making food ahead and freezing it into portions. Here are some ideas from my kitchen. All of these things can be made in a relatively short period of time and stored for later. I usually have a few things on the go at once so I can get a lot of work done in a short space of time:
Morning Teas
For recipes, look through my list on this site or try out the kid friendly recipes in Fairytale Food Safari, A Wholefood Family Cookbook
- Muffins
- Sliced banana bread
- Muesli bars
- Protien bars, try my recipe here
- Tubs of dip. For ideas see my Snacks recipes. Dips can be frozen. (Serve with vegetable sticks and crackers).
- Bags of popcorn. Try my Dairy Free Cheesy Popcorn Seasoning.
- Fruit Salad and yoghurt (coconut yoghurt for dairy free). The fruit salad will last a few days in the fridge. Just portion it out in the morning.
- Chia pudding. Try my recipe here.
- Home-made trail mix. Choose nuts, seeds, and dried fruit that your child enjoys. I also add cacao nibs. Soaking and drying the nuts makes them easier to digest. It takes time but not a lot of effort so all you need do is plan ahead.
Lunches
My favourite idea for lunch is to just make more food the night before. It is so easy to portion it out in the morning. A thermos is great to store hot food. Here are some ideas:
- Leftover curries, casseroles, stews, noodle dishes in a thermos.
- Salads that contain roast veg, meat or tofu, quinoa or rice and raw veg. Check out some ideas for salads in my recipe list.
- Wraps with salad, homous, meat or tofu.
- Home-made sushi.
- Home-made rice paper rolls.
- Home-made pizza with plenty of healthy toppings. (When you are making pizza, make extra and freeze into portions).
Sometimes it may seem like you don’t have time, but if you use your time effectively and plan ahead, you and your children will reap the benefits. All the best for the 2019 school year!
