Lunch Box Ideas for Fussy Children

Got a fussy eater on your hands? Now the new school term has begun, preparing meals can become even more of a challenge if you have to pack your child’s lunch. After all, there’s always the worry that your child will return home from school with their lunch completely untouched.

We’ve put together a list of lunch box ideas that might encourage your picky eater to look forward to lunchtime at school. Read on…

Healthy Macaroni Cheese

If your child turns their nose up at veg, you can give this healthy macaroni cheese recipe a try – because if there’s one thing that kids and adults alike enjoy, it’s cheesy pasta!

The macaroni cheese recipe above looks normal enough, but it’s loaded with courgette and cauliflower. Your fussy eater won’t even taste the vegetables underneath the cheesy flavour. You can modify this recipe however you wish, adding in things that your child might like, such as bacon or sausage pieces.

Cream Cheese and Cucumber Sandwich

Traditional cucumber sandwiches are light and simple – perfect for afternoon tea. Turns out their simplicity can make for a great lunch for a fussy eater. The thin, airy bread and the crunchy cucumbers might entice your child, while adding cream cheese can make the entire sandwich extra filling and extra tasty.

Mini Pizza Bagels

Mini pizza bagels are easy to pack into a lunch box, not to mention easy to prepare. All you need are plain mini bagels, marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese and toppings of your choice. Some topping ideas include broccoli, spinach, black olives and pepperoni. You can even go for a plain cheese pizza.

When it comes to toppings, don’t go overboard. Your fussy eater might have trouble eating an overflowing mini pizza bagel, as delicious as it looks.

Cheese and Crackers

You can’t go wrong with cheese and crackers as a side dish or standalone snack! Your child might love pairing the salty, crispy crackers with a cheese of their choice, whether it’s cheddar, mozzarella, or anything else they might like. The cheese and biscuit combinations are endless.

Savoury Muffins

Regular muffins are great. Why not turn them into a lunchtime staple?

This recipe puts a savoury spin on traditional muffins. It calls for plenty of cheese, onions, spinach and red pepper, so you can expect the final product to be comforting and hearty. These fluffy, savoury muffins are sure to be a hit with your picky eater, so pack one or two into their lunch box.

Bento Box

If you don’t know what a bento box is, then prepare to meet your new holy grail. Originally from Japan, bento boxes are single-portion boxed meals containing a bit of everything. Most include a carb (usually rice), protein (meat or fish) and vegetables.

There are countless kid-friendly bento box ideas to make eating fun. To start, you can whip up a sandwich as the source of carb and protein. Ham, turkey, peanut butter, cheese or an omelette make great protein sources. Once you’ve constructed the sandwich, you can cut it into a shape with a sandwich cutter, a knife or kitchen scissors.

Finally, add colour (and nutrition) to the bento box by topping it with plenty of fruit and veg, which you can cut up with a knife to make creative shapes. Have some fun with it!

We hope these ideas make lunchtime more of a doddle for you and your fussy eater!

Until next time…