Gemma White With so much else to think about at the start of a new school term, what to put in a child’s packed lunch can easily be relegated to the bottom of the long list. A balanced diet, food that provides enough energy to get through the school day and a dish that’s easy to make and pack are all important when it comes to putting together a nutritious lunch box. For those who have run out of creative ideas, here are five dishes that come recommended directly by parents.
The founder of Drink Dry in Dubai turns to a Lithuanian dish from her home country for a filling lunch box dish her three children love. We call it “chicken pancake”. It’s made in Lithuanian households as a quick and inexpensive dish for children.
Cut achicken fillet into small pieces, then mix in a bowl with one egg and a spoonful of mayonnaise before shaping into small pancake shapes. You can make it the night before and put in fridge, then cook in a pan in the morning. Sometimes we add cooked rice or broccoli if I’m not in a hurry.
The pancakes have a simple flavour and it’s something the that can be picked up with hands and eaten like a sandwich, with no cutlery needed. I love the ease of it and the fact my kids enjoy it. Any parent knows that the biggest joy is seeing the little ones eat.
I always make sure there is fibre, whether with a bran bar or fruit; and I don’t pack sugary snacks or chocolates. The lunch box has to be functional and everything in it should be something they eat.