School Lunch Ideas for Fussy Eaters
We know that creating lunchboxes can be stressful especially when your child is a fussy eater. To help you out, we spoke with Susie Burrell, leading nutritionist and dietitian, and mother of two, to share a few of her tips.
One of the biggest issues with school lunchboxes from a nutritional perspective is that they contain too much sugar and processed carbohydrates and not enough protein
Susie Burrell, Nutritionist and Dietitician
With the beginning of every new term comes the daily battle to fill the kid’s lunch boxes with items that not only provide the nutrition needed for growing minds and bodies, but that appeals to even the fussiest of fussy eaters!
If you’re already wondering where you are going to find the inspiration for new school lunch ideas, look no further! Here are some easy ways to strike a perfect balance between child-friendly foods and good nutrition to ensure even the fussiest kids will concentrate throughout the day.
1) Add something yummy
Sometimes when we are focused on getting our little ones to eat the right things, we forget that meals with friends at school are supposed to be fun and enjoyable. Don’t be afraid to add in a small daily treat alongside the fruit, vege and protein-rich foods in the lunchbox. This will help your little ones to learn that good nutrition is all about balancing the daily nutritious foods with sometimes foods. I always recommend items such as a homemade muffin or cookie, a couple of crunchy crackers or a flavoured milk/yoghurt – it will ensure that you have a lunchbox your kids love – even the fussy eaters!
2) Start with protein
One of the biggest issues with school lunchboxes from a nutritional perspective is that they contain too much sugar and processed carbohydrates and not enough protein, meaning that tiny tummies aren’t satisfied at the end of the day.
Boost the protein content of the lunches you pack by seeking out protein-rich snacks such as cheese and crackers or roasted broad beans. You can also pop a protein-rich filling into their sandwiches such as DON’s Champagne Leg Ham or Chicken Breast, which is 97% fat free. Roughly 30-50g of lean meat will add up to 6g of high-quality protein to any lunchtime sandwich.
3) Make it look good!
Small children are attracted to what looks good. This means the more you cut and shape lunch box contents to look visually appealing, the more likely they are to eat what you pack. Think small containers of individual ingredients, mini-sized snacks, cut up fruit and veges, as well as sandwiches with plenty of colour, such as the DON Smallgoods Rainbow Salami Sandwich for kids below.
4) Get your child involved
Simply ask them what sandwich filling or snacks they would like and create a lunchbox that works for both you and them. When they have some input in what goes into their lunchbox, they are much more likely to eat its contents.
For some more back to school lunchbox ideas for fussy eaters, see the recipe options below.
Recipes:
Chicken Sandwich Sushi Rolls
What you’ll need:
- 2 slices high fibre white or wholemeal bread, crusts removed
- 1 tsp. light cream cheese
- ¼ avocado
- 50g DON Chicken Breast Thinly Sliced
- ⅓ cup finely grated carrot
- ½ Lebanese cucumber, cut into lengths
How your delicious DON lunch will come together:
- Once you have removed the crusts on your two slices of bread, flatten it slightly by pressing gently on a rolling pin
- Lightly spread cream cheese onto both slices
- Add a thin layer of avocado onto the bread before layering with DON Chicken Breast slices and sprinkling with carrot. Top with a stick of cucumber
- Fold over the bread to enclose the filling and roll it up
- Cut each sushi roll into three to finish
Kids Rainbow Salami Sandwiches
What you’ll need:
- 4 slices wholemeal or white bread, crusts removed
- 50g DON Danish Salami Slices
- 1/2 cucumber, sliced
- 1 carrot, grated
How your delicious DON lunch will come together:
- Flatten the bread slightly by pressing gently on the rolling pin
- Layer first piece of bread with DON Danish Salami Slices
- Place a layer of bread on top of the salami and sprinkle on the cucumber
- Put another layer of bread on top of the cucumber and sprinkle on the carrot
- Top with final layer of bread and cut into four squares to finish
Ham Quesadilla Pockets
What you’ll need:
- 1 small wholegrain wrap
- 50g DON Champagne Leg Ham
- 3 tbsp. shredded cheese
- 2-3 slices tomatoes
- 2 tbsp. avocado, sliced
How your delicious DON lunch will come together:
- On one half of the wrap, place shredded cheese and tomatoes in the centre
- Top with DON Champagne Leg Ham and slices of avocado
- Fold the bottom of the wrap over the ingredients
- Optional: place on skillet/sandwich press to warm the wrap and melt cheese before cutting
- Cut into half to finish!
Susie Burrell is a leading nutritionist, dietitian and mother of two.
