AND JUST LIKE THAT THEY’RE BACK TO SCHOOL…

It can be hard to get back into a routine at the start of the school year and healthy and tasty lunches can really prove a challenge for parents, whether dealing with fussy kids or just trying to come up with quick and easy ideas for tasty treats. Try these healthy lunch box treats to put a smile on their faces.

OAT, SULTANA AND PEACH BREAD

Delicious lunch box filler, for your kid’s school lunch box (and maybe even your work one too...)

Ingredients

1 cup milk

2/3 cup rolled oats

60g margarine, melted, cooled

1 egg, lightly beaten

¼ cup golden syrup

2/3 cup self-raising flour sifted

2/3 cup wholemeal self-raising flour sifted

1 tsp baking powder sifted with flours

½ cup sultanas

¼ cup tinned peaches in natural juice, drained & chopped

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease & line an 8cm x 17cm loaf pan

• Soak milk & ½ cup oats in a large bowl for 30mins

• Stir margarine, egg & golden syrup into the oat mixture. Add flours, baking powder & sultanas, stir to combine. Fold in peaches

• Add to pan & sprinkle with remaining oats. Bake for 45mins or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Stand in the pan for 10mins & turn out onto a wire rack to cool

Chicken And Avocado Sushi Sandwich

Roll up wholemeal bread to make these Japanese-inspired chicken sandwiches for the kids’ lunchbox.

INGREDIENTS

¼ nori sheet

4 slices wholemeal bread, crusts removed

1 tbsp salt-reduced margarine

2 tbsp reduced-fat natural yoghurt

2 tsp finely chopped fresh chives

1 celery stalk, trimmed

100g shaved chicken breast

¼ large avocado, cut into 4 slices

Method

• Cut nori into 4, 1cm x 10cm strips

• Place bread slices on a flat surface. Using a rolling pin, flatten slightly & spread with margarine

• Combine yoghurt & chives in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cut celery crossways into 4 x 8cm lengths. Leaving a 1cm border on the edge furthest away from you, spread bread slices evenly with yoghurt mixture. Stack chicken, avocado & celery on bread slices on edge closest to you. Starting at edge closest to you, roll up bread slices to enclose filling. Wrap 1 nori strip around each sandwich & secure ends with a little water. Place 2 sushi sandwiches in each lunchbox