We’re currently in the throes of back-to-school, so of course wracking our brains to come up with healthy lunches for the kids comes with the territory.

 

But it doesn’t have to be so stressful. There is a wide array of delicious, natural lunch ideas that require the minimum of effort – all it takes is a little thinking outside the (lunch)box.

 

These ideas are tasty, nutritious and perfect for giving the kids the energy they need throughout the busy school day.

 

1. Quinoa

 

 

Yes, it might be the grain no one can pronounce, but that doesn’t make it any less of a superfood. It’s a complete protein, so it’s full of essential amino acids, keeping kids fuller for longer and fuelling muscle development and growth. All you need to do is pop it in a pan, boil and reduce to simmer until the water soaks up, and voila! you have the perfect ingredient to add to wraps and salads.

 

2. Chia seeds

 

 

These little beauties are a brilliant way to get essential amino acids lysine and tryptophan into the kids – without them even knowing about it! Yep, chia seeds are so tiny the kids won’t even notice them, so for a hit of sneaky nutrition sprinkle them on salads, chopped fruit or seed snack pots.

 

3. Sweet potato

 

 

You might not have thought of sweet potato as something to pop into the kids’ lunchboxes, but they’re so healthy – packed with vitamin A, B6 and B5 – and taste just as good cold as hot. Just pop a couple of small ones into the oven the night before, cool before refrigerating and transfer to a foodsaver in the morning. Done. Check out Empowered Sustenance's foolproof guide to baking the perfect sweet spud. 

 

4. Carrot sticks

 

 

Carrot sticks, are crunchy, sweet, and unlike apples, don’t go an unappetising shade of brown seconds after being chopped.

 

5. Homemade hummous 

 

 

Make carrot sticks and chopped veggies even more enticing to kids by adding a healthy dip, like homemade hummous. To make it, simply pop a tin of chickpeas into a blender, add a little tahini, lemon juice and black pepper, and whizz! We like this recipe from Coffee & Quinoa.

 

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