Quick & Easy Lunches – @my.little.food.critic
Thinking up lunch ideas everyday can begin to feel quite challenging. It can feel as though we are constantly in the kitchen cooking up a family meal.
I like to keep lunch quick, healthy, simple and nutritious. Lunches don’t need to be drab! These delicious family-friendly, mouth-watering meals are made from pantry staples, taste delicious and will only take 15 minutes to whip up!
I try to include a source of protein, iron, healthy fat and fruit/veg to keep those little tummies full until snack time!
Here are my top tips for putting together a quick and balanced lunch:
1. Write out a meal plan and shopping list for the week
This way you will have all of the ingredients to hand and it takes away the stress of thinking about what to cook multiple times a day.
2. Prep ingredients ahead of time
Some tasks are extremely repetitious in the kitchen. Chopping onions, mincing ginger, washing fruit and vegetables. I find if I do these jobs in one go at the beginning of the week, I save so much time when I’m trying to pull meals together quickly.
3. Think about leftover and/or doubling up recipes
Leftovers can make a fab lunch the next day! You can also freeze things like pancakes and fritters for easy and quick meals during the week.
4. Keep your pantry well stocked
Having a well-stocked pantry and fresh and frozen produce at the ready helps to pull together quick and nutritious meals with ease.
Simple spices can go a long way in jazzing up recipes, creating a variety of flavours and exposing your family to new and interesting meals.
Here are my 3 quick and easy lunch ideas that will be ready in under 15 minutes:
1. Veggie Loaded Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled eggs with veggies and greens are a simple and quick way to prepare a nutritious lunch. These eggs are packed full of flavour, protein, vitamins and minerals AND you know you and your little ones have eaten a good portion of veggies!
2. This is one of our favourite “go to” quick meals and pasta is always a hit isn’t it?!
The super quick and flavoursome sauce comes together while the pasta cooks and it is so creamy and delicious! It couldn’t be any easier!
I like to add a sprinkling of hemp hearts to amp up the protein and serve alongside veggies to create a balanced meal.
3. Avocado & Cheese Quesadillas
These quesadillas come together within minutes are loaded with iron, healthy fats and flavour! They are great for a speedy lunch and great for dipping into some Greek yoghurt.
They are perfect as finger food for little ones learning to self-feed and you can get in those important leafy greens!
