Nellbe Gluten Free

Even though we still have 2 weeks until school starts, some children around the country are heading back to school in a few days time!

A common question on the tip of every mum’s lips is what to give the kids for lunch? Even more so if you cannot give them the traditional sandwich due to allergies.

Here are my list of school lunches, the best thing is that anyone can have them for lunch, you don’t have to be a kid going to school.

• Risotto Cakes – you can make your own or use this great mix from Melinda’s.
• Mini Quiches – can be made gluten free
• Rice Salad
• Pasta Salad – again be made gluten free
• Rice Cakes with toppings
• Mixed salad with can tuna
• Mixed bean salad
• Gluten free bread, toasted then spread with Mighty Mite, topped with cheese and grilled until the cheese is melted. Slice when cool, really yummy when cold.
• Frittata
• Boiled Eggs with cut up veg and a little dip.
• Rice paper rolls
• Gluten free wraps filled with yummy fillings – I like the Old Time Bakery wraps

Lunch box fillers

You have the main event but sometimes you need extras to go with it or to have for morning snack time

• cubed cheddar cheese
• rice crackers
• sultanas and dried apricots
• cut up fruit
• rolled up ham slices
• gluten free fruit muffins
• gluten free banana cake (can be made into muffins)
• gluten free pikelets

General lunchbox tips

I know that there are some mums that struggle to even get their children to eat their lunch and we cannot rely on the teacher to make sure they eat as they usually have 20 odd children to look after.

• Make sure the lunchbox and containers used, the children can actually open.
• At my son’s school they usually only get 10 minutes to eat, so keep wrappers and containers to a minimum. Even though my son is almost 7, I cut things cut and make them bite sized so he can eat quickly with no prepartion.
• I don’t send youghut or full pieces of fruit, it just takes too long to eat and he just has them for after school snack so he still gets his nutritional requirements.
• Regardless of whether the school has requested it or not, I never send anything with nut products. I think its safer that way.

We use the Nude Food Movers range of lunchboxes, it fits the right amount of food in it for him and I love the fact we don’t need to use wrappers or plastic snack bags of any sort, saves so much rubbish(and money). He also takes a snack tube with extra’s in case he is hungry or they have extra time.

I bought the Nude Food Movers from Woolworths, they have excellent specials every now and then and you can get them 1/2 price sometimes. I have also seen them at Coles and Big W.

And a bonus tip for mums with toddlers at home, when I make my school aged son’s lunch I also make up lunch and snacks for my 2 year old for at home. I cannot tell you how convenient it is to have his food ready to go, if we are going out and what a blessing it is come lunch time. It doesn’t make me feel like I am in the kitchen all the time.

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