Lunchbox ideas that pack a Punch

Need a little inspiration in those first weeks back at school when we’re all desperately trying to get back into a routine. Wondering what to put in their lunchboxes healthy enough to sustain their brains and bodies all day and still impress their friends. We have some hot tips to kickstart things.

Our kids are a pretty healthy bunch in the Shire. Many have attended our ‘Grow Your Own Lunchbox” event, which is 3^rd September 2021! They know more than most kids where their food comes from. Rather than racking your brains why not inspire them to make their own?

Bring along a lunchbox to our Farmers Market before school begins and set them a challenge! It will probably end up costing you less and our stallholders love chatting to the children.

There’s always an abundance of seasonal fruit and veg. Some of the market lunchbox market favourites just coming into season are strawberries, blueberries, apples and mandarins which would all go really well mixed with yoghurt from Cheeses Loves You. Spice Palace have various healthy dips you could pair with seasonal veg such as carrot and cucumber sticks. Another idea would be to toss their pesto with Byron Gourmet or Woodland Valley pasta which you could prepare at home on the days when the market isn’t on.

Everyone’s lunchbox favourite is rice crackers which are insecticide free, and not fumigated, as imported rice is. You can team these with just about anything although a couple of winners are avocado, sprouts and Davidsons Plum Jam. Fruit buns are always a treat as are the sausage rolls and vegan pies.

There is the ever-favourite hand-rolled sushi. Takayuki, the talented Japanese Chef makes hand rolls you can put straight into the lunchbox and Radiance Kitchen make delicious gluten free dumplings that will stay yum until lunch. Mix that with farm fresh produce and you have a winning formula every time.

Getting the kids involved means they will learn so much more about eating with the seasons. I find that getting them to make their own fruit and veggie choices means they are a lot more likely to eat them!!

Where to find these lunchbox goodies.

Asian snacks
Radiance Kitchen. (dumplings)
Indonesian Kitchen (pastry balls & beetle leaf rice)
Japanese Kitchen (sushi)

Pastries
Yummify
Scratch Patisserie

Fruit Buns
Crabbes Creek Woodfired

Rice Cakes
Nimbin Valley Pecans & Rice

Sprouts
Sprout Lovers

Yoghurt
Cheeses Loves You

Dips
Spice Palace
Baraka

Davidson Plum Jam
Rainforest Foods
Organic Forrest

Pasta
Woodland Valley Farm
Byron Gourmet Pasta

Fruit Juice
Rancho
Jungle Juice

Mandarins
Rancho
The Organic Avocado