[GeminiSix]

Our kinder has a blanket ban on nuts and coconut. They also have a policy of healthy foods in the lunchbox. I am really trying hard to not send pre-packaged foods along to both school and kinder. I like to bake something on the weekend that I can then freeze individually and take out each morning. The morning snack is fruit only, so I like to send something a bit more substantial to go with her lunch (usually a sandwich).

The only ideas I have that covers all these requirements are muffins (which are still considered on the lower end of healthy by the kinder) and pikelets.

Any other ideas?

[librablonde]

Date and Muesli Slice

125g butter or marg, melted
1/2 or 3/4 cup sugar (depending on your taste)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups rolled oats (traditional rolled oats, not quick cooking ones)
1/2 cup plain flour
1 cup pitted dates, chopped (or can use the same quantity of mixed dried fruit/apricots, sultanas, etc)
1/4 cup pepitas, 1/2 cup sesame seeds

* Pre heat oven to 180*C, line 20cm square tin with baking paper.
* In a large bowl, mix melted butter and sugar, and add eggs, mix well.
* Stir in remaining ingredients until combined.
* Press into prepared tin and bake for 20 mins, or until golden.
* Cool completely before slicing into rectangles.
* This muesli bar stores well and freezes/defrosts perfectly. Cut into portions before freezing.

[librablonde]

Back again
You can also do: whole boiled eggs, veggie sticks and dips, crackers and cheese, cubes of cheese, yoghurt........

[Alacritous~Andy]

I was going to suggest museli bars too. Or a nut free trail mix.

I have a butter-free museli bar recipe that is bound with condensed milk. I can dig it out if you would like it.

[Orange Underpant...]

I am experimenting with a nut free no bake muesli bar recipe - I'll let you know how it goes.

[credence]

This is the first time I've heard of a coconut ban at schools. Are coconut allergies fairly common? (Apologies for hijacking!)


If you want to do some baking, any sort of muffin or cake with fruit or pureed vegetable in it is a bit healthier, but at the end of the day, cake is cake.

Essential Kids has a lunchbox section. There a quite a few recipes in there that fit your criteria.

[Akatara]

http://www.allergy.org.au/patients/food-al...coconut-allergy

Uncommon but not out of the realms of possibility.
You could double check the reasoning behind it.

Are you allowed to send dairy? I usually sent yogurt or cheese, with fruit and sandwich. But My kids were not big eaters at kinder. They only get a limited time to eat anyway. They wouldn't have consumed too a much in one sitting as they would rather have been playing.

I gave up making home made muesli bars as they wouldn't eat them, these they like but not really that healthy!

http://allrecipes.com.au/recipe/4568/raspb...-oat-slice.aspx

[GeminiSix]

This is the first time I've heard of a coconut ban at schools. Are coconut allergies fairly common? (Apologies for hijacking!)

It is a Council run kinder and it is a blanket ban across all of their kinders. I think I might speak to the kinder teacher and find out if it is actually enforced.

Thanks for the recipes, I am going to give both the Date and Muesli Slice (first one I have seen without coconut!) and the Raspberry Oat slice a go - they seem like something my girls will eat.

I'm trying to only only do one lot of baking for the week for both school and kinder.

[heffalumpsnwoozl...]

What about things like carrot and zucchini slice, or mini quiches?

My kids don't eat anything other than spreads in their sandwiches, so I usually send along a little box with a slice of ham or turkey, and some sliced up cucumber, capsicum, tomatoes, carrot, olives etc. to go with their Vegemite sandwich.

They will often get rice crackers and a piece of cheese (DD2 only gets the crackers, she doesn't dig on cheese) for morning tea, or air popped popcorn.

As far as baking goes, you could go for yeast based rather than cakey stuff. I find they lend themselves better to less sugary recipes. Things like vegemite scrolls, cheese and bacon rolls (my kids LOVE these) or home made crumpets. This is probably my personal bias though, because DD2 doesn't really like cake. I know, she's a weirdo.