What makes a good lunch box
A school lunch has to survive four or five hours in a bag, taste good at room temperature, and be quick to eat in a short break. It also needs to fill a child up for the afternoon. The easiest formula is one item from each group: something filling (bread, roti, rice or pasta), some protein (egg, chicken, cheese, yogurt, lentils), a fruit or vegetable, and a drink of water. Every recipe in this collection has been chosen because it packs well.
Ideas by type
- Sandwiches and wraps: chicken mayo sandwich, egg sando, chicken katsu sando, corn cheese sandwich, chicken pinwheels, chicken quesadilla, crispy chicken wrap and cheese omelette roll.
- Rice and pasta: pasta salad, chicken macaroni, egg fried rice, matar pulao and lemon rice.
- Bites: egg muffins, chicken kebab bites, chicken nuggets, shami kebabs, aloo cutlets and chicken patties.
- Desi favourites: aloo paratha, suji cheela, besan cheela, thepla and poha.
- Snacks: banana oat muffins, date energy balls, fruit, and a small pot of yogurt.
Planning the week
Cook once, pack many times. On the weekend, make one or two things that keep: a tray of egg muffins, a batch of kebab bites, chicken mayo filling or banana muffins. Then each morning takes five minutes. Rotate so children don’t get bored, and let them choose between two options; children eat more of what they chose. Our meal planner has a school lunches mode that plans Monday to Friday and builds one shopping list.
Packing safely
- Cool food before packing. Hot food sealed in a box makes condensation and spoils faster.
- Keep it cold in summer. Anything with egg, chicken, mayonnaise or yogurt needs an insulated bag and an ice pack (a frozen water bottle works and is a cold drink by lunch).
- Keep wet and dry apart. Pack sauces and dips separately so bread and wraps don’t go soggy.
- Check school rules. Many schools ban nuts because of allergies; our snack recipes are nut-free unless you add them.
For how long food can safely stay out, see our food safety guide. For breakfast before school, see our kids’ breakfast collection, and for weekend treats, our kid-friendly collection.