Real Life Lunchboxes

As a bit of a foodie, one of the ways I like to show my love for my children is by packing them a scrumptious lunch. And one of the ways they show their appreciation is by bringing me back the ruins of it every afternoon. Usually eaten, sometimes not – but that’s okay.

Lunchboxes are a bit like sex. Sometimes everything comes together and magic happens. Other times you end up exasperated with a less than satisfactory result but resolve to do better next time.

I was pretty pleased with this one that I made for Curly and Smudge last week.


It looked delicious, was full of things I knew they would consent to eat and had no allergens which might cause any little friends a problem.

Those are some scones that I baked the week before and had in the freezer, with this year’s home-made quince jam. And some chocolate covered strawberries left over from my birthday ladies’ lunch. I wouldn’t normally send chocolate in their lunchbox, but I do usually include some little ‘treat’, like a biscuit. And half an avocado is Smudge’s snack of choice. Too easy.

I’ve never found the right book. That’s where I go for advice for every area of life I’m having trouble with: conceiving children, giving birth, remaining happily married, raising a family whilst staying sane, keeping pigs, growing vegetables – whatever the area, I like to have a book to delve into.

I’ve often found that kids’ cook books just contain replicas of adult recipes, photographed in smaller portions with a delectable little Winnie the Pooh spoon on the side.

• Honey and Soy Drumsticks with Easy Fried Rice: preparation time 15 minutes (plus standing time), cooking time 40 minutes.

Forty minutes! Easy fried rice, my arse. All that for a tiny thimble sized dish of something they might take two bites of and then spread all over the floor.

In my own scrapbook cook book, I’ve got some pages I cut out from a magazine, a week’s menu for lunchboxes. I keep them for ideas, which I assume is what you’re meant to do, because if you followed it to the letter, you’d be spending more time in the kitchen than Nigella:

• Monday: carrot slice (recipe on page 46); apple; bacon, egg and salad roll; raisins; cucumber and salad sticks


• Tuesday: lamb pasties (recipe on page 67) and strawberry muffin; four-bean salad; ham and cheese sandwich; yoghurt with fruit puree; banana; rice crackers


• Wednesday: spicy felafel wraps; Greek salad; apple wedges; homemade choc chip cookie; milk

And so on. Not even that staple of my pantry bookshelf, the Australian Women’s Weekly cookbooks, have come up with real life ideas.

So I just follow my own rules for a good lunchbox.

• Keep it simple
• The magic three: sandwich, yoghurt, fruit
• Carb snacks
• Bake something once a week
• Fruit buns on special from the bakery – buy in bulk and freeze

But I’ll let Smudge have the last word.

‘What do you think of this lunchbox that I made you?’
‘Mmm.’
‘Did you like it?’
‘Yes. But I just don’t like a scones.’
‘You don’t like scones? I thought you did like them?’
‘No.’
‘You used to like them, didn’t you?’
‘But I just like dem wiv honey and butter.’
‘And what about the chocolate strawberries, did you like them?’
‘Yes. Can I have one?’
‘We don’t have any more.’
‘Can you get some, please?
'Um..'
'Now? Today? Please?’
‘Not today.’
‘Have you got strawberries?’
‘No.’
‘Have you got chocolate?’
'Maybe.'
And so on.