Easy Back to School Food Your Kids Will Love

Does anything feel better than kids arriving home with empty lunch boxes? NO!

Now that the start of the school year is around the corner, you can get a head start on some tasty make ahead, freezable meals that you can batch cook and have on hand.

Ever have a frantic morning where you’re running late and don’t have time to do lunches?

Ever had a picky eater who has a rotation of 2 favourite meals you need on hand just in case?

Tired of trying to be creative on a daily basis with new meals?

If any of these even vaguely feel like your life… then get reading and cooking! Here are some of the best freezable kid-friendly foods for lunchboxes, and fresh quick fixes!

(F) = Freezer Friendly
 

SAVOURY

• Pizza bites (F) - Halve mini rolls or pitas. Spread homemade or jar sauce over the top, top with cheese and bake.
• Cheese quesadillas (F) - Top one half of a tortilla with shredded cheese and some black beans. Fold and grill.
• Egg cups (F) - Place your favourite fillings in muffin moulds. Chopped ham, bacon, potato, capsicum, tomato, mushroom. Top with egg mixture of eggs, a splash of milk and a little salt. Top with cheese and bake.
• Mac and cheese (F) - Follow your fav recipe or instant microwave mix. When you reheat, serve in a thermal container.
• Hawaiian sliders (F) - Slice rolls and place in a pan. Layer ham and cheese on top. Paste with melted butter and bake until golden.
• Chicken and rice patties (F) - Mix 3 cups cooked rice, 1 cooked shredded chicken breast, 1 grated carrot, 1 cup cheese, eggs and ½ tbsp oil. Mix, press into muffin tins and top with extra cheese before baking.
• Veggie fritters (F) - Mix 1 grated carrot, 1 grated zucchini, 1 grated sweet potato, 1 can corn kernels, 4 eggs and 1 cup plain flour. Fry in 1 tbsp rounds, flattened.
• Egg salad sandwiches - Mash together hard boiled eggs, avocado, a dash of dijon mustard, greek yoghurt and salt to taste together. Spread on wholemeal bread.
• Taco salad - Place a round iceberg lettuce leaf in a small container or section of a bento box. Fill with favourite toppings e.g. chopped tomato, blackbeans, cheese and a little salsa.

SWEET

• Raspberry white choc muffins (F) - 2 cups SR flour, ¾ cup sugar, 1 egg, ¼ cup vegetable oil, 100g raspberries and 100g white choc chips. Mix and bake!
• Milo biscuits (F) - ½ cup milo, ½ cups SR flour, ¾ cup sugar, 1 egg, sprinkles. Mix and bake!
• Hokey Pokey biscuits (F) - 1 ½ cups SR flour, ⅓ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup golden syrup, 60g butter. Mix and bake!
• Cornflake cookies (F) - 1 ½ cups cornflakes, 1 ¼ cups SR flour, ⅔ cups sugar, ⅓ cup choc chips, 2 tbsp milk, 125g butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract, sultanas optional. Mix and bake!
• Chocolate bliss balls (F) - 10 medjool dates, ½ cup flour, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 2 tbsp coconut, 1 tsp vanilla extract. Blend in a food processor and roll into balls.
• French toast sticks (F) - Slice 15 slices of wholemeal bread into strips, dip into a batter of 4 eggs, ¼ cup sugar, ¾ cup milk, 1 tsp vanilla essence (optional mix in pumpkin soup). Fry in a pan.
• No bake chocolate slice (F) - Place 1 ½ cup oats, 1 cup coconut, 5 medjool dates, ⅓ cup maple syrup, ⅓ cup cacao, ¼ cup coconut oil and a splash of vanilla essence into a food processor and blitz. Press into a slice tin, freeze for 2 hours, slice then freeze portions.
• Fruit skewers with yoghurt dip - Thread chosen fruit onto bamboo skewers (alternate with marshmallows for something sweeter). Include some yoghurt in a dip container for added yumminess.
• Cocopop bars - Mix together 4 cups cocopops, 2 cups coconut, ¾ cup honey and ¼ cup coconut oil. Press into a slice tin, cover and refrigerate overnight.

The only thing to do now is plan what you’ll do with all the time you’ll save!