L is for Lunchbox Ideas

One of my favourite subjects lunchbox ideas!  Are you facing the second term lunchbox blues? I have always thought that coming up with ideas for lunch boxes is much harder after the Easter break than at the beginning of the year. At least at the start of the year I am enthusiastic about all the possibilities that a new year can bring. But by this time of the year we have settled into our routine and it is easy to get stuck in a rut when it comes to filling lunch boxes. Even though Bear and Bee don’t go to school yet we still need to pack lunch boxes for playgroup days and hubby needs a packed lunch for school too.

To reinvigorate our lunch boxes, I have been searching recipe books from the local public library (a fantastic low cost resource) and the Internet. Bear and Bee chose Tomato and Cheese scrolls to try such is their love of anything resembling a pizza. There are plenty of variations to this recipe too. How about basil pesto and cheese or sundried tomato pesto and olives? Or you could try a sweeter option with nutella or dried fruit and honey. We ended up dividing the dough into 3 and making one with jam, one with honey and nuts and one with tomato and cheese to suit the girls tastes.

These are great to make ahead and freeze too. Just take them out the night before and pack them in the kids’ lunchboxes. They will then be thawed out in time for lunch. If you are really pressed for time, replace the dough with premade puff pastry sheets. Just put the toppings on while you are waiting for them to thaw out.

Tomato and Cheese Scrolls
Makes 12 approx

Ingredients:
2 cups self-raising flour
30g butter, chilled, chopped
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup tomato pizza sauce
1 cup grated tasty cheese

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

2. Place flour in food processor. Add butter and pulse until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs. (Tip. If you don’t have a food processor or your child is too young to safely help operate it, you can rub the butter into the flour with your fingers and then mix in the milk).

3. Pour milk into processor and pulse until a ball of dough forms.

4. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead dough until almost smooth. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out to a 24cm x 36cm rectangle.

5. Spread pizza sauce over dough. (Tip: Have your child use a spoon to spread on the toppings, it’s easier and won’t cut into the dough) Sprinkle cheese over sauce. Roll up dough firmly like a snail. Cut into slices.

6. Arrange scrolls close together and cut side up on prepared tray. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until light golden and cooked through. Serve.

What new items are you putting in your child’s lunchbox this year?

This blog was written by Maree Mortimer from Three Foot Cooks, thanks so much for sharing your lunch box ideas with us Maree.  You can find other posts Maree has written for us HERE.