What to pack in a child’s pre-school lunchbox is a question we’re asked very frequently. Lunches for children should be healthy and full of variety, but you might get bored of packing the same sandwich every time (and they probably get bored of eating it too!).
This is why we’ve decided to bring you a whole host of healthy pre-school lunch ideas that will give your child the energy they need to get through the day.
Pre-school packed lunch ideas
Chicken and avocado wrap
Wraps are always a nice alternative to a sandwich, and we love this chicken and avocado version. Simply mash your avocado and spread it on the wrap, then fill with sliced chicken (and a bit of salad if your child will eat it) and wrap it up!
Serve with some cucumber sticks, some low-salt crisps (like veggie straws or even mini rice cakes) and some chopped up strawberries.
Ham and cheese roll ups
Ham and cheese roll ups are made from bread but make a nice change from a sandwich.
Take a piece of bread and cut the crusts off. Then flatten the remaining bread with a rolling pin to get it nice and flat. Add some ham and cheese and then roll it up.
Put some hummus in a pot so they can dip their roll up in, with some red pepper and cucumber on the side.
Finish with some strawberries and a yoghurt (for added calcium).
The classic sandwich
There is absolutely nothing wrong with sandwiches when they’re part of a balanced, healthy diet. There are all sorts of fillings, including egg mayonnaise, ham, cheese, chicken, soft cheese, peanut butter, tuna, the list goes on!
Try to mix it up with different fillings, and include salad where possible, such as cucumber or sliced tomatoes.
Pitta bread and hummus
Wholewheat pitta bread and homemade hummus makes for a healthy lunch. You can make hummus by blending chickpeas, lemon juice, yoghurt, oil and garlic. Store it in the fridge and take a little bit out each day for the lunchboxes. Find the full recipe on the NHS website.
Serve with pitta bread, carrot sticks and celery.
Pasta salad
Your child will need things in their lunchbox that taste good cold, so what better than a pasta salad? You can make it ahead of time and batch cook it so they have a few portions for the week.
You’ll need:
- Whole wheat pasta
- Cooked broccoli
- Cherry tomatoes (quartered)
- Half a tablespoon of soft cheese
- Cheese to sprinkle on top
Simply cook your pasta and broccoli and then mix all the ingredients together. Done!
Serve with a hard-boiled egg, some blueberries or strawberries and a fruit loaf.
You can mix up the pasta salad by switching some ingredients. Do a tuna and pea pasta salad, or chicken and avocado pasta salad. The options are almost endless!
Pitta pizzas
Pitta pizzas are so easy to make and the children love them.
Toast a pitta bread until it puffs up. Cut it in half so it opens like a book and add some tomato puree, grated cheese and toppings of your choice (red pepper, sweetcorn, chicken, etc.). Then grill or air fry for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
Serve with carrot sticks, yoghurt and some melon.
Pinwheels
These are another favourite because they can go in the freezer and be defrosted. So make a big batch and save them!
Buy some shop-bought puff pastry. Roll out the sheet so it’s flat and add your toppings. You can do soft cheese and cooked broccoli, or tomato puree with grated cheese and carrot.
Roll up the pastry lengthways and then cut into inch-thick slices. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for about 15 minutes.
What snacks can I include for pre-school?
Children love a snack. And it’s not a surprise that they need them, given how much energy they use up in a day. Below, you can find some snack ideas to include in your child’s lunchbox for pre-school.
- Sugar-free jelly pot
- Yoghurt
- Fresh fruit
- Breadsticks
- Mini rice cakes
- Low-salt crisps
- Cheese cubes
- Malt loaf
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Crackers
- Crumpets
- Scotch pancakes
- Low-sugar cereal bars
We hope this post has helped to give you some information about a healthy lunchbox for pre-school. If you have any further questions, you can always contact us for advice.
