What to feed our little ones to keep them satisfied, but at the same time be tasty and appetising, is always a conundrum for mums and dads when it come to the dreaded packed lunch! With the constant teacher scrutiny of the much-awaited pack-up lunch time meal, it is important that we try and include a quota of our five a day but, perhaps more importantly, leave our children feeling full for the afternoon of learning ahead of them.
This is definitely where Piccolo cherry tomatoes can come in handy! As part of a healthy diet, cherry tomatoes are the ideal snack or packed lunch addition – just remember they need to be quartered if serving on their own to avoid being a choking hazard. Including Piccolo cherry tomatoes as a healthy lunchbox addition is the way to get the necessary vegetables into the diet of your children. Known as a superfood, they are low in calories and high in hydration as well as being an excellent source of vitamin C, potassium, folate and vitamin K. They also contain the valuable antioxidant, lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.
However, there is much more to cherry tomatoes than serving them independently. With so many tempting lunchbox ideas that include this much-loved ingredient, parents will have a field day incorporating Piccolo cherry tomatoes into their packed lunch repertoires.
Lunchbox Ideas with Piccolo Cherry Tomatoes
My favourite frittata is always a popular choice for school aged children. Packed full of essential filling ingredients including eggs, onions, potatoes, cheese and of course, cherry tomatoes, this is a real pleaser and makes for a full tummy to start the afternoon…
Spanish omelette with new potato, courgette and tomato is so versatile that can be in fact used for lunch boxes as well as after school snacks. Packed full of filling carbohydrates this is especially delicious when eaten as a leftover cold.
Cheese & cherry tomato muffins are an absolute hit! These savoury delights are actually perfect for any time of the day but especially good as extras in packed lunches. The flavours are delicious and will have your little ones begging for more when the school bell rings.
Chicken salad with sweetcorn, pasta & cherry tomatoes. This hearty meal acts as a great alternative to sandwiches and variety is the spice of life! Switch and swap the ingredients around to find your favourite combination but keep a protein, carb and always those rich in vitamin cherry tomatoes.
Luscious lunch on a stick adds the fun factor to any lunchbox! TO avoid any safety hazards, make these all-time favoutites up on a straw and we recommend packing a small pot of ketchup to be used as a dip for added flavour. Again, quarter the cherry tomatoes to be safe and then enjoy making up lots of flavour combinations – ham, pineapple and cherry tomatoes is my favourite!
Giving a delicious natural sweetness, Piccolo cherry tomatoes are truly a great addition to any children’s meal. What’s great about a cherry tomato is the ability to actually grow them yourself so your children can feel truly immersed in the farm to fork phenomenon with home grown produce. Remember, always store them at room temperature, that way all the vital nutrients and vitamins will be kept firmly locked inside.
Lunchbox lowdown
45% of pupils say they prefer to have a packed lunch rather than a school meal. If your child is a fussy eater, it can be much better to give him or her a packed lunch containing the food they like rather than let them go hungry.
Here are some lunch boxes tips from Annabel to make sure they are always well received:
- To make sure your children like what’s in their lunch boxes, include them when making them. The last thing you want is for your children to eat unhealthy alternatives or worse still come away from lunch starving
- Too much salt is a common problem when it comes to lunch boxes as so many convenience foods use extra e.g. salt & vinegar crisps, cheese strings and processed ham. If you do sometimes need to add these items occasionally try and balance them with foods that contain potassium e.g. apricots or bananas
- Girls start their growth spurt between 8 and 10 and boys a little later, about 12. At this time your child needs a boost in calcium. This can come in the form of two thirds of a pint of milk a day or a yoghurt and 25 grams of hard cheese – think about this when packing lunch boxes
- To keep your child’s lunchbox exciting, pack little surprises in there from time to time like stickers, a novelty pen or a pencil sharpener. Simple gestures like this will let your child know you are thinking about them even when they are at school
