Your Child’s Lunch Box: Yummy & Nutritious Ideas You Should Try

Dolapo Marinho

Toddlers need to consume a large variety of foods in order to grow properly. With the school day being what it is, long and drawn out, it’s extra important that our little geniuses get the right foods to keep them in good shape for learning.

The trick, I find, is to choose foods that will still look as appetizing at lunchtime as it did when it was lovingly prepared in the morning. It also needs to capture your toddler’s imagination. Look for fresh ingredients with lots of colour that also pack a huge taste punch! Find a list of food items for every day of the school week. Of course, these ideas are not set in stone, so feel free to mix and match as you deem fit.

Monday Mayhem

The first and often the most hectic day of the week. Monday is the perfect day to use up that left over pizza you stuffed in the fridge after church on Sunday.

*Left over pizza slice

*Apple wedges (wash slices in lemon water to avoid them turning brown later)

*Cheese cubes (Hard cheese like cheddar)

*A fruity shoot drink

*Water

Tasty Tuesday

Tuesdays are slightly more relaxed than Mondays, but only just.  What do you think of these tasty Tuesday treats?

*Pancakes + sausage (make pancake batter on Monday night. Fry the cute little mini pancakes in the morning and drop slices of sausage on top so it all cooks up together.)

*Banana bread. I absolutely love this one bowl recipe. See a quick recipe here. You’ll be amazed how simple it is to bake, making it a great, fuss free opportunity to spend some cooking time with the kids. Trust me, it will surely become a lunch box favourite!

*Strawberries (halved)

*Apple and Eve juice

*Water

READ ALSO: How to Create a Workable Menu Plan Your Family Will Love

Worry Free Wednesday

Wednesdays are the breather days. The first day of the week that you can consider going to do your nails.  The nanny is back to waking herself up and you might even decide to give yourself the day off doing the school run!

*Jambalaya. This is a sort of jollof rice cooked with your preferred choice of diced vegetables, sausages and shrimp.

*Flapjacks. See a recipe here.

*Ena Milk

*Carrot sticks

*Water

Thoroughly Enjoyable Thursday! 

The mandatory market environmental sanitation in Lagos on Thursdays makes the morning school run almost a joy! You are assured of little to no traffic shenanigans and I don’t know about you, but that always puts me in a floaty, whimsical mood. Even the realization that the homework was not done the day before does nothing to ruffle my mood! Why not let the lunch box reflect this!

*Peanut butter and jam rolly pollies (I love these! Your toddler will totally enjoy flattening out the bread. Prepare the night before and refrigerate. They will be easier to slice up in the morning. See a recipe here.

*Moist choccie cupcake (This recipe is divine! Are you sensing a trend here? Thank me later!)

*Tangerine segments

*Milk

*Water

Friday, I’m in Love!

Don’t you just absolutely love Fridays? The weekend is here again and all mummies can think about is making sure that pesky early morning alarm is turned right off. We get a small breather from homework pressure and so with the prospect of impending relaxation looming on the horizon, why not celebrate by going all exotic in our lunch box?

*Chicken shawarma. (Use Lebanese flat bread.)

*Prawn Crackers (Can be fried the night before and kept in an air tight container.)

*Dates (stones removed)

*Rose Water cordial (Goodies or Oasis supermarkets will sort you right out!)

So, there you have it, a whole week of yummy, scrummy nosh for your little angels! Never leave out a clean, big glug of water to digest the food and keep them hydrated all day.