Page 34 - Intra Muros March Issue 2026

TODAY’S CHILD

Lunchbox ideas that work
The trick with school lunches is strategy.
Most children will eat a wider range of
foods if they look familiar, feel manageable
and are not served all at once.

Adventurous lunches work best when they
are built from recognisable parts rather
than introduced as a complete re-invention.
Think familiar base, interesting twist.

1. Wraps, rolls and hand-held lunches
These are often easier to eat than
sandwiches and hold up better in bags.
Try the following ideas:
• Wholewheat wraps with chicken,
avocado and grated carrot
• Falafel, hummus and cucumber
rolled into pinwheels
• Egg mayonnaise with baby spinach in
a soft wrap 3. Snack-style lunchboxes for grazers 5. Familiar favourites
• Mini rotis or pita pockets with These are ideal for children who prefer These are particularly useful on
chicken or bean fillings choice or separation. anxious days:
• Cheese cubes, crackers and grapes cut • Savoury muffins with cheese and
These lunches feel familiar but offer more lengthways vegetables
flexibility than traditional sandwiches. • Boiled eggs, mini potatoes, cucumber • Mini quiches or crustless frittatas
sticks and hummus • Leftover meatballs or roast
2. Pasta and grain-based lunches • Chicken pieces with fruit and a small chicken
These foods are better suited to savoury muffin • Pancakes rolled with yoghurt or
older children or longer school days. • Yoghurt with granola, packed separately fruit
Suggested meals include:
• Cold pasta with pesto, cherry Nothing touches. Nothing surprises. Often, When one item feels safe, children are
tomatoes and mozzarella everything gets eaten. often more open to eating the rest.
• Couscous with roasted vegetables
and chickpeas 4. Fruit and vegetable snacks, done differently In conclusion, it’s important to note
• Brown rice with shredded chicken, Variety helps, but presentation helps more. the following: Texture, temperature
sweetcorn and peas Try these suggestions: and smell matter more than many
• Noodle salad with mild sesame or • Fruit kebabs instead of loose fruit adults realise. Some children want
soy dressing • Apple slices with nut butter or yoghurt dip crunchy food only, whereas others
• Roasted butternut or sweet potato cubes prefer soft, predictable textures.
Packed properly, these foods avoid soggy • Corn on the cob cut into rounds Some will happily eat food once it has
bread and the crushed-lunchbox problem. cooled; others will not touch it.
These are more likely to be eaten than a single
piece of fruit at the bottom of the bag. Working with these preferences is
not about giving in; it is about how
you reduce waste, avoid daily stand-
offs and gradually widen variety over
time.

Lunchboxes will still come home
half-full on some days. You will still
occasionally discover something that
should probably be thrown away
without investigation. That is normal.

As long as the lunch is generally eaten
and your child’s energy levels are
sustained, you can keep balancing
their food preferences with nutritious
options. And don’t forget to pack a
drink – water is best.

32 | INTRAMUROS MARCH 2026