Healthy Lunch Ideas for Children

• Sweet Potato Balls with Quinoa and Cheese
• Spinach and Chickpea Falafel
• Beef and Vegetable Cottage Pie
• Zucchini and Spinach Lentil Fritters
• Baked Potatoes with Variety of Toppings

• Spanish Tortilla
• Hulk’s Green Mac and Cheese
• Homemade Guacamole
• Deconstructed Beef Sushi Bowl

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• ½ kg sweet potato
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 1 cup wholemeal plain flour
• 2 teaspoons vegetable stock powder

Instructions

• Cook quinoa according to package instructions, adding vegetable broth powder to the cooking water for flavour.
• Peel and dice the sweet potato. Boil or steam until tender, then mash it.
• In a large bowl, mix together the cooked quinoa, mashed sweet potato, shredded cheese, and wholemeal plain flour. Mix until well combined and the mixture holds together.
• Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Take small portions of the mixture and roll into balls, about the size of a golf ball, placing them on the lined tray.
• Bake the balls in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
• Serve the sweet potato balls warm as a delicious and nutritious snack or side dish.
• Makes 20 balls.

Ingredients

• 400g Tin Chickpeas
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 Tsp Garlic
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 100g Fresh Baby Spinach
• 2 tsp Tahini

Instructions

• Place all the ingredients except the oil into a blender and pulse until chopped.
• Separate the mixture into the serving size you like.
• Flatten slightly and fry in a little oil on a medium heat until golden.
• Serve with your choice of dip.

Ingredients

• 1 kg beef mince
• 2 cups mixed vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrot), diced
• 1/4 cup frozen peas
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon beef stock powder
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup plain flour
• 3 large potatoes
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1 cup grated cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 200°C.
• In a large pot, heat some olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened.
• Add the beef mince and cook until browned, breaking up any clumps with a spoon.
• Add the mixed vegetables, frozen peas, beef stock powder, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste. Stir to combine.
• Cook for 10 minutes, or until the beef is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
• Sprinkle the flour over the beef and vegetable mixture and stir well to combine. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, peel and chop the potatoes. Boil in a large pot of salted water until tender. Drain well and mash with milk and parsley until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer the beef mixture to an ovenproof dish. Spread the mashed potato over the top in an even layer.
• Sprinkle the grated cheese over the mashed potato.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the top is golden brown.
• Serve hot, with additional vegetables or a side salad if desired.

Ingredients

Yoghurt Sauce

• 1  cup Greek yogurt
• ½  bunch coriander, finely chopped
• 1/2 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Fritters

• 1 cup red lentils
• 4 medium zucchinis
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 package (300g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess moisture
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

• Yoghurt Sauce: Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Set aside.
• Fritters: Rinse lentils and place in a bowl. Cover with water and let soak at room temperature for 6-12 hours or overnight.
• Grate the zucchinis and transfer to a colander. Add the spinach and toss together. Let drain for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Squeeze out excess liquid.
• In a food processor, pulse drained lentils with coriander and cumin until a puree forms. Transfer to a bowl with zucchini, spinach, and garlic. Mix well.
• Form mixture into 12 cakes using a 1/3 cup measuring cup. Flatten to form cakes.
• Heat olive oil in a frypan over medium-high heat. Cook 3-4 cakes at a time, flattening with a spatula, for 2 minutes per side or until golden brown.
• Transfer cooked cakes to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cakes. Serve warm with yoghurt sauce.

Ingredients

• 4 medium-sized potatoes
• Olive oil
• Salt

Choose your topping: 

Ham & Broccoli (GF)

• 1/2 cup cooked broccoli florets
• 3 tablespoons heated diced ham
• 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese

Marinara Meat Sauce (GF)

• 60 grams lean ground beef, cooked with
• 1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons pasta sauce
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Tomato-Pesto (GF, DF, V)

• 1 tablespoon prepared pesto
• 1 small plum tomato, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 200°C.
• Wash and dry the potatoes, then prick them all over with a fork. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place them directly on the oven rack and bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until tender.
• While the potatoes are baking, prepare the toppings.
• For each topping, combine the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
• Once the potatoes are cooked, remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly.
• Make a lengthwise slit in each potato and fluff the insides with a fork.
• Spoon the desired toppings over each potato and serve hot.

Ingredients

• 1/4 brown onion, peeled
• 3 potatoes, peeled
• 4 eggs
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• Olive oil

Instructions

• Finely dice the onion and set aside.
• Halve, quarter, and thinly slice the potatoes (about 2mm thick).
• Heat olive oil in a non-stick frypan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened.
• Add the sliced potatoes to the pan, ensuring they are evenly distributed. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook the potatoes, stirring occasionally, until they are tender but not browned.
• In a bowl, beat the eggs, milk and season with salt and pepper.
• Add the cooked potatoes and onion to the beaten eggs and mix gently to combine.
• Heat a little more olive oil in the frypan over medium heat. Pour the egg and potato mixture into the pan, spreading it out evenly.
• Cook the tortilla, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent sticking, until the edges start to set and the bottom is golden brown.

Ingredients

• 1 cup steamed peas or broccoli
• 1 2/3 cups fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 250ml of milk, divided
• 2L of water
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 2 cups elbow macaroni
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/3 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups white cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese

Instructions

• Blend spinach, parsley, peas/broccoli, and 1/2 cup milk until smooth.
• Boil water with 1/2 tablespoon salt and cook macaroni until al dente. Drain and set aside.
• In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir until golden.
• Add remaining milk, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, pepper, and salt. Stir until smooth.
• Add cheddar cheese and stir until melted.
• Stir in the spinach mixture until well combined.
• Add cooked pasta to the pot and mix.
• Pour mixture into a casserole dish.
• Top with mozzarella cheese and broil for 5 minutes.
• Let cool slightly before serving.

Ingredients

• 2 avocados
• 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced (optional)

Instructions

• Cut the avocados in half, remove the pit, and scoop out the flesh into a bowl.
• Mash the avocado with a fork to your desired consistency.
• Add the sweet chilli sauce, minced garlic, lemon juice, white pepper, diced tomatoes, diced red onion, and salt to the mashed avocado.
• Mix all the ingredients together until well combined.
• Serve the guacamole with carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, capsicum, celery, and your choice of crackers or corn chips.

Ingredients

• 500g beef mince
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 cups sushi (or substitute white long grain) rice, cooked
• 2 carrots, cut into sticks
• 1 broccoli head, blanched and chopped
• 1 avocado, diced
• 2 sheets nori (seaweed), shredded
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise

Instructions

• In a bowl, combine the beef mince with minced garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Mix well and set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.
• Cook sushi rice according to package instructions and set aside.
• Cut carrots into sticks, blanch broccoli in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Dice the avocado.
• In a large pan over medium heat, cook the marinated beef mince until browned and cooked through, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.
• Divide the cooked rice among four bowls. Top each bowl with the cooked beef mince, carrot sticks, chopped broccoli, diced avocado, and shredded nori.
• Add a dollop of mayonnaise on top of each bowl and serve immediately.