Make your child's lunch more interesting.
Finding lunch ideas for your children can be difficult but, with our meal inspiration, you can make sure they are well fed and enjoy a healthy diet.
Bean burgers If you want to serve a healthy lunch for your child you wouldn't normally consider giving them a burger. A bean burger, though, has lots of useful nutrients. Put butter beans, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, an egg, a little flour and low-fat cheese in a blender. Once they are mixed, make burger patties with the mixture. Pop them in the oven and bake until they're cooked through. Serve with your child's favourite sauce and add burger buns, if you want.
As a dessert, pack a fruit salad, maybe with a honey and natural yoghurt topping.
Star pizzas Most pizzas are high in all the things you don't want your child to eat, but if you make them yourself your child can still enjoy a tasty pizza.
Most of us don't have the time to make our own pastry but you can buy relatively cheap puff pastry from supermarkets and most dairies. Roll out puff pastry and use a cutter to make star bases. Top the pastry with tomato puree. Add chopped onions, red peppers and feta cheese. Bake according to the pastry instructions.
For dessert, pack up some yoghurt, raisins and an orange.
Finger food Kids love to eat with their fingers. Buy a plastic lunchbox with compartments, and fill each one with a different finger food. They could start with breadsticks or crackers. Spread these with low-fat soft cheese and add a chunk of cheddar cheese. Put sliced peppers or carrots in another box with some cold peas. In another compartment you could put a hard-boiled egg.
For dessert pop in purple and green grapes with chopped-up pikelet.
This is a fun, delicious and visually appealing lunch that your child will love.
Chicken pita A chicken pita can be a cost-effective and healthy packed lunch for anyone. Make sure you buy wholemeal pitas, though, as these are much less processed. Spread low-fat mayonnaise inside and add lettuce or spinach leaves. To make it a little bit different pop in some raisins too. Then layer slices of cooked chicken or turkey breast in the pita pocket.
For dessert your child can have a slice of banana cake and an apple. If your child prefers their apple chopped you can keep it fresh by preserving it in lemon juice and wrapping it in a paper towel.
Smiley sandwiches A sandwich is a filling lunch, but it can be dull. To make a sandwich more exciting use a shape cutter on the bread. If you lightly toast the bread beforehand the cutter will be easier to use. A train, a car or a smiley face shape are popular and fun shapes. There is a lot of great sandwich fillings, but some of the healthiest and most filling are egg and cress, cream cheese, salmon and cucumber, or avocado and chicken.
To accompany a sandwich, include some cherry tomatoes and a toothpick.
For a dessert, pack a yoghurt and some dried apricots.
For more lifestyle news see realbuzz.com