Gone are the days of a squashed butty, bruised apple, questionable looking cheese string and a packet of crumbs crisps for our typical packed lunch. Whilst this doesn’t actually sound all that terrible, it could be so much better for your health and that of the planet! Think back to said packed lunch, the sandwich would be in clingfilm or aluminum wrap, the cheese string would be in its vacuum packed sleeve, the crisps- in their packet, once you’d finished eating, you’d be left with a heap of garbage that would likely have ended up in a landfill. A bit of a somber lunch now you think about it.
Luckily, our friends at Kilner have brought us a simple solution once again, the Fresh Storage collection! This collection is the best way to keep foods fresh without the need for any nasty plastics. Make life simple with the unique stackable set, made from durable Borosilicate glass, the range is freezer, oven and microwave safe. Meaning you can create, bake, store & enjoy. No fuss, no stains, no BPA, this is a planet-friendly alternative to plastic that can be used throughout the cooking process, from conception to consumption.
Shop the Kilner Fresh Collection here!
So, now you’ve got the storage-ware to transport your lunch in, you need some delicious healthy recipes! Well here you go, our favourite 10 Sandwich-Free lunch ideas for school packed lunches and grown-up lunches! These recipes are from our friends at The Kitchn.
1. Food on Sticks
Think chicken satays, beef skewers, or sausage kebabs, packed on lunchbox-sized sticks for kids. Because everything is more fun on a stick. (For young kids, use flat, blunt-edged bamboo sticks, not the stabby toothpick-like kind.)
- Get a recipe: Yellow Chicken with Broccoli and Peanut Sauce Also, Grilled Smoked Sausage Skewers.
- Pack with: Rice, sliced cucumbers, sliced mango, yogurt-covered pretzels
2. Quesadillas
They’re kid favorites for a reason — and contrary to our adult biases, they don’t need to be piping hot to be delicious.
- Get a recipe: How To Make the Best Cheesy Quesadillas, The Avodilla
- Pack with: Avocado slices or guacamole, jicama sticks, pineapple chunks, pumpkin seeds, or tortilla chips
3. Spring Rolls
Rice paper wrappers or large lettuce leaves make great rolled-up meals that are fun to eat. Fill them with tofu, pork, or shrimp; try our rainbow rolls; or let your kids branch out using their own ideas.
- Get a recipe: Rainbow Vegetable Spring Rolls
- Pack with: Cubed meat or cheese, sliced red bell peppers, blueberries, chocolate square.
4. Deli Meat Roll-Ups
Think outside the bun! Rolling sliced deli turkey, ham, or roast beef around cheese sticks, cream cheese, and even greens can change the way your kiddos think about lunch meat.
- Pack with: Whole-wheat pretzels, celery (optional sunflower butter filing), cinnamon-sprinkled apple slices, coconut macaroon.
5. Vegetable Sushi or Onigiri
Using leftover rice and cooked fish from a previous meal, packing sushi for the family can be as easy as making sandwiches — especially if the kids feel like helping.
- Get a recipe: Salmon and Black Sesame Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls), Summer Project: Make Vegetable Maki Sushi with Kids!
- Pack with: Sushi condiments, edamame, raspberries, snickerdoodle cookie.
6. Cold Noodle Salads
Think soba with black sesame seeds, or plain udon.
- Get a recipe: Soba Noodles with Wilted Bok Choy, Miso-Roasted Asparagus Soba Noodle Salad, Greek Chicken Pasta with Olives and Feta
- Pack with: Cubed chicken or tinned fish, snap peas, clementines, chocolate raisins.
7. Hummus and Pita Plate
Nine out of 10 kids love a good smear of hummus. Why not make it the star of the show?
- Get a recipe: How To Make Hummus from Scratch
- Pack with: Salami, olives, carrots, baby tomatoes, and grapes. (Note that dipping is easier and less messy if you pack the hummus in a separate container.)
8. Quinoa Salad
Mix the meats, cheeses, and veggies your kids like into plain quinoa and dress lightly with a basic vinaigrette.
- Get a recipe: How To Cook Fluffy, Tasty Quinoa
- Pack with: Tomato/mozzarella/basil lollipops, popcorn, pear slices, baby brownie.
9. Breakfast for Lunch
Make extra food when you have time for a nice breakfast on the weekend, and save the leftovers for lunches —think hard-boiled eggs, leftover pancakes, and leftover sausages.
- Get a recipe: How To Hard-Boil an Egg, How To Make 2-Ingredient Banana Pancakes.
- Pack with: Sliced strawberries, squeezable yogurt. (Frozen yogurt tubes also make great small ice packs, and typically thaw by lunch.)
10. Leftover Picnic Lunch
If you’d eat it for lunch on the weekend, why not pack it in a lunch box? Because nothing beats a cold chicken leg on a Monday.
- Get a recipe: Grilled Chicken Legs with Dijon & White Wine Glaze
- Pack with: Potato salad or coleslaw, watermelon, broccoli with yogurt ranch dip, s’mores (or s’mores brownie).
There you have it, we hope you’ve been inspired to create some exciting lunches for your little ones and/or yourself this term! Stay tuned for more recipes inspired by the New Kilner Fresh Storage collection. Shop the range here.