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Sick of making the same old sandwich? Our food writers bring you five delicious recipes for food your child will devour on their lunch break, both savoury and sweet
Tue, 24 Aug, 2021 - 12:00
Denise O’Donoghue
Orange oat flapjacks
recipe by:Trisha Lewis
These are so easy to make and can be popped into the kids’ lunchboxes as a nice treat for them, but you still know they’re getting a good source of fibre
Servings
15
Preparation Time
10 mins
Cooking Time
18 mins
Total Time
28 mins
Course
Baking
Ingredients
110g butter, plus extra for greasing
75g light brown sugar
3 tbsp honey
270g oats
2 oranges, zested
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease a 20cm square tin with a little butter.
Melt the butter, brown sugar and honey in a large saucepan, then stir in your oats and orange zest. Pour out onto the greased tray, making sure it’s even and flat. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes.
Allow to cool on a wire rack, then cut into 15 slices and keep in an airtight container. I always keep mine in the fridge because it makes them nice and chewy, but that’s just my personal preference.
Lunchbox salad
recipe by:Currabinny Cooks
This is a super simple cheese and veggie salad which requires very little in the way of prep but relies on fresh, quality ingredients
Servings
2
Preparation Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Course
Main
Ingredients
1 ball of buffalo Mozzarella, sliced into rounds
1 bunch of thin asparagus stalks
3-4 heirloom tomatoes, cut into thin rounds
handful of fresh basil leaves
handful of mixed organic leaves
2 spring onions, white parts only, sliced thinly
olive and pepper salad
salt
pepper
For the lunchbox salad dressing:
2 tbsp mild Dijon mustard
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 small shallot , very finely diced or minced
6 tbsp olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
Pinch of salt and pepper
Method
For your main box, season the sliced tomatoes with salt and pepper and assemble them in the box with some torn basil.
Blanch the thin asparagus for one minute in boiling water, or even less than one minute if you wish. Refresh with cold water, pat down with a tea towel so they are dry and place in the box with the tomatoes and a little pinch of sea salt.
Place the sliced mozzarella in its own small container with a good bunch of basil and season with salt and pepper.
Place mixed leaves and spring onion in its own small container, lightly seasoned.
Place any leftover olive and pepper salad in its own small container.
To make the salad dressing, place the ingredients in a jar, screw the lid on tight and shake until well combined. Taste for seasoning.
Serve everything together in a large bowl or lunchbox with the dressing drizzled over.
Superfood quesadillas
recipe by:Derval O'Rourke
These wholemeal quesadillas make for a great midweek supper and are equally delicious served cold with a salad for lunch
Servings
2
Preparation Time
10 mins
Cooking Time
2 mins
Total Time
12 mins
Course
Main
Ingredients
2 wholegrain wraps
1 tub of hummus (shop-bought or homemade)
1 avocado, skin removed and thinly sliced
1 lime, juiced
100g feta, crumbled
2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
salt
pepper
1 tsp olive oil
Method
Spread a thick layer of hummus on each wrap. Place ½ of the avocado on one side of the wrap and drizzle the lime juice over it.
Sprinkle the feta and chopped coriander on top, season with salt and pepper. Fold in half.
In a pan heat the olive oil and cook each wrap for 1-2 minutes on each side or until lightly golden and crisp. Cut each wrap in half and serve.
Oatmeal biscuit sandwich
recipe by:Darina Allen
A creamy coffee filling seals the deal between two deliciously buttery oat biscuits - perfect for a mid-morning snack and a boost of energy
Servings
22
Preparation Time
10 mins
Cooking Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Course
Baking
Cuisine
American
Ingredients
450g butter
225g caster sugar
225g plain white flour
¼tsp bicarbonate of soda
560g porridge oats
egg wash
granulated sugar
For the coffee filling:
85g butter
190g icing sugar
2 tsp coffee essence
Method
Preheat the oven to180°C.
Sieve the flour and bread soda together and gradually add into the creamed mixture with the porridge oats. Turn onto a board sprinkled with oatmeal and roll out to a thickness of 1cm. Cut into 8cm round biscuits with a sharp cutter. Glaze with egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake until pale and golden, about 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, make the coffee filling, cream the butter and add in the sieved icing sugar, beat until light and fluffy and then add the coffee essence. Spread a little on each biscuit, sandwich the two together and enjoy.
Blueberry granola buns
recipe by:Michelle Darmody
These buns are packed with seeds and oats which will keep tummies fuller for longer
Servings
12
Preparation Time
15 mins
Cooking Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Course
Baking
Ingredients
100g wholemeal flour
85g spelt flour
1 tsp bread soda
190g granola
1 tsp ground cinnamon
zest of 3 oranges
90g muscovado brown sugar
120g dates, de-stoned and chopped
370ml buttermilk
120ml olive oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp frozen blueberries
1 tbsp porridge oats
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
Method
Heat your oven to 180°Cand line a cupcake tin with 12 bun cases.
Stir all of the ingredients together in a large bowl holding back half of the pumpkin seeds and oats.
Divide the mixture between the bun cases, sprinkle with the remaining seeds and oats and bake for 20 minutes or until baked through.
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