KIDS' FRUGAL HEALTHY EASY LUNCHES: Part 1 Sandwiches/Rolls

(Welcome to the Blog (Nav Bar) offers more recipes & advice) 

RECIPES & ADVICE FOR FRUGAL QUICK EASY HEALTHY LUNCHES FOR KIDS...(AND MUM) 

Part 1: Bread/Rolls;  Part 2: Non-Bread Carbs & Protein; Part 3: Vegetables, Fruit, Treats, Snacks & Drinks

Courtesy Working Mother Magazine licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

...includes Sandwiches/Buns, other carbs, protein, desserts. Lunch should include carbs, protein and fruit or vegetables.  It might be worth looking at Child-Friendly dishes (Nav Bar: Recipes I)which includes dishes kids can make. 

Bread/Baps: see make your own which includes ultra easy bagels and baps taking only minutes to prepare.  The dough for Breakfast Buns/Baps is so easy, the kids can do it.

Easy-peasy Breakfast Biscuit dough morphs into Lunchtime Baps

Supermarket sliced bread (50p a large loaf at M&S) is fine but get the variety with hidden fibre, or ring the changes with wholemeal occasionally. (Toasted wholemeal grilled cheese sarnies are super-crunchy; the kids probably won't mind that the bread's not white.) 

Pizza: Make-it-yourself pizza dough is very easy and so delicious your kids will ask for it again and again.  Toppings do not need to cost much: a 67 favourite is tomato pizza base, grated cheddar and sliced mushrooms.  Or try sliced fresh tomatoes (around 60p a punnet), with salt & pepper on a base generously brushed with garlic oil..nothing else. Vegan Fresh tomato pizza is a revelation.    

Sandwiches: serve with soup (see soups under Easy Peasy in Recipes 1 OR Soups in Recipes II on Nav Bar above). If unable to make your own, M&S no-e-number tomato or mushroom soup is 50pence a tin.  

• Prep ahead: 5-star hotels always use bread that is at least a day old; they are made, left uncut, covered with a damp (not wet!!) j-cloth & tightly cling-filmed. They'll be good for 2 days.  
• Presentation: Pretty or shaped sandwiches encourage kids' appetites.    See freezable sandwiches.
• Budget fillings for on-the-day sarnies include Egg mayonnaise or cold omelet or fried - slightly runny egg - with tomato or chilli sauce; cream cheese & halved grapes or sunblush tomatoes; cheddar & thinly sliced apple or salad (Note: if inserting salad in sandwiches, ensure the lettuce is dry and the cucumbers sliced thinly); brie with cranberries; stilton with blueberries; peanut butter and jam or bananas or thinly sliced apple;  hummus & grated carrot or thinly sliced cooked beetroot (from a packet, drained & dried). Tinned sardines with mustard (best to remove bones & liver; mix in a bit of the tomato sauce or oil it's tinned with); tuna yoghurt-mayo (50-50 mayo & thick plain yoghurt) with sweetcorn or finely diced cucumber or bell pepper, with plenty of lemon juice, pepper & a bit of salt (adults: minced red onion & lots of lemon zest.)  Leftover shredded meat mixed with Dressing & generous portion of finely diced dill or sweet pickle.  Leftover meatloaf with lettuce & tomato.  Supermarket sliced meats can be good value (M&S hams, chicken & spiced sausage are £1 a pack for several slices)
• Toasted/fried sandwiches & Panini's (a waffle maker also works).  Fillings: Anything with cheese -- grilled cheese and ham, cheese & tomato, cheese & tuna melt; sardine & cheese melt; vegetables grilled then brushed with seasoned olive oil.  Even better, mashed white beans with drizzle of olive oil and fresh or flaked chillis. French Toast Sandwiches: fillings as above, but both sides of the sandwich dipped in beaten egg.  Note: fried sandwiches -while ever so delicious in taste and texture - is not for the cholesterol-phobic!

• Ultra Easy Double Dipped French Toast:  so easy kids can make it 

Also have a look at How to make...Healthier Sandwiches

 

Refreshing stale sliced or whole Loaves 

Whole: Preheat oven to 150c/300-325F.  Stick crust side of stale loaf under lightly running water (keep the cut side away) until the outside of the loaf is damp but not soaked through. Bake 6-7 or 10-12mins, depending on size of loaf

Sliced:  See sandwiches & 5-star hotels above.  Butter bread thinly to the corners, add filling, cover with an almost dry damp clean tea towel; clingfilm; refrigerate overnight 

Other suggestions for spare bread: 

Bread & Butter Puddings 
Stale bread/croissants make fabulous puddings, soaked in flavoured egg and milk custard, with or without fruit or nuts, baked till crispy & brown.  Choose an everyday treat with jam or marmalade OR special occasion with rich and stupendous chocolate and cream.  See Recipes I/Baked Goods, including indulgent Chocolate Mint Bread & Butter Pudding and frugal Boozy Orange Bread & Butter Pudding  

No oven?  
Toast is the new go-to snack - from a toaster, air-fryer or frying pan (bread cooked in fat in a frying pan is not for the cholesterol-phobic!  Dry-fried/toasted is fine).  Favourite toppings include Avocado, Cheese, tinned fish, grilled veg  and bacon.  

Try this Kidult's' sugar-free budget light meal:

Hole-in-One Egg Toast

 

Parts: 2 - Carbs/Protein & 3 - Veg, Fruit, Desserts Snacks 

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