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Primary Students show us why and how to create a plastic wrap free lunch

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Primary Students show us why and how to create a plastic wrap free lunch

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Tessa, Molly and Romane explain the consequences of using disposable plastic wrappers in lunchboxes and provide some solutions. Aimed at parents of primary-school aged children.

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From the Dunedin author Wal Herring - Healthy Little Eaters

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From the Dunedin author Wal Herring - Healthy Little Eaters

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School lunchboxes made easier - might be some new tips for the school newsletter in here!

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While I cannot directly offer you, who probably sits there with a host of noise, chaos and that shirking sound of "mum... mum... mum" (or dad) in the background, with specific advice about your individual situation. I can give an overview of why we as a group of mothers (or chief food preparers) feel pressure, overwhelmed and shudder at the thought of making school lunches.

I can also lead you to the other side where doves, baby deer and possibly unicorns help us, as we 'whistle while we work' during that before-school frenzy.

Well maybe not doves, but I can tell you now if you read this blog post and you 'get' it, the before school frenzy won't be as bad as you think is has to be. You may even notice the birds sing as you hop in the car.

Before we get down to how I structure my kids school lunch box, let's get on the same page and deal with why having a healthier (notice I said healthier nor healthy) lunch is important, then go about busting a few myths floating around the playground about school lunches. After the nitty gritty, we will talk about the dreaded "but why can't I have what they are having?".

If you have been to any of my talks you will realise that I am all about starting with why. Why _______ (lunch box in this case) is important.

It's not about being a good mum, or having healthy children... because those concepts are so abstract and don't really mean that much in our real life, on a day-to-day basis.

What it is about is providing the nutrients, energy, sustenance that will make-up our children's body's and brains. It is providing them with the foundations so that they feel awesome in the classroom, so their brains are firing and can take on new information easily. Concentration, focus, physicality.

At the end of the day most of us want the same things for our children. For our children to be the best version of themselves, whatever that is. Food is the building blocks for that. It matters - no, it more than matters; it is the key.

At the end of the day most of us want the same things for our children. For our children to be the best version of themselves, whatever that is. Food is the building blocks for that. It matters - no, it more than matters; it is the key.

While most of us know this, we don't let it sink in. When you look at your child, when your observe your child reading....everything you see, everything that is going on in their brains is energy and nutrients at work - they get all of that from food. From food. Am I making myself clear?

"I don't have enough time to make sushi" was the response I got when I was asked about what other options there were for school lunches. I have to admit I was perplexed because I saw sushi easier than making sandwiches. We talked though the steps I take to making sushi in the morning. I can get if you are making it for the first time that you may be stumbling through it. But that happens with anything we learn. Do it enough and it becomes second nature - making sushi for lunch is no exception.

I don't believe it is the actual time we struggle with, it is more that we struggle to think of things to put in the lunchbox and those packet foods have become convenient ... It's not really about time, it's about putting effort into having simple foods, healthy foods not only available in the cupboards/fridge; but as a quick reference in your mind.

Creating a structure to school lunches (see below) will help with this. But first up, get out of the mind-set of thinking healthy lunches take time. I think I could pack three school lunches in less than 10min. Not enough time that it outweighs the benefits they will be getting mentally and physically from that food!

I hear people constantly struggle with ideas. When I start to give ideas, really good ones, I have often got the reply "oh they need more than that". No they don't. We have so much choice with food. Big colour packets, yoghurts in one hundred different flavours which I think has lead us to think we need to get all fancy on it. Having the mind-set of 'If I don't give kids packet foods, I have to bake and spend a lot of time in the kitchen... time I don't have'.

Shitballs.

You don't need to have fancy quinoa sprouted muffins. Just give them fruit. About a year ago I got to a stage where I didn't like how many crackers the kids were eating. In my mind, at that stage, they were easy to have 'just in case' the kids got hungry. But their cracker consumption was pretty high. I decided not buy them anymore - to replace this, I carried fruit. Slightly more effort to make sure I had a knife as well (because the kids like cut up fruit) but just as easy. I cannot even remember the kids complaining they didn't have crackers. Now it is second nature to have these snacks on the go. When I tell this to most people, they look at me like I'm a loony and say 'but the kids need more'.

NO THEY DON'T.

We over think things. Keep it simple. You will see below that kids' lunch boxes can be made up of really simple easy ingredients - which they eat.

"All or nothing". I am going to put it out there - but what a crappy saying. But something is infiltrated how we think of food. The amount of times I have been asked how long I have been vegan or vegetarian because I have ordered that particular option at a restaurant. Just because I choose to have a dhal, doesn't mean I am vegan. I am eating a vegan meal but I also eat bacon.

People will often protest, 'but I cannot make a healthy lunch box', or that their 'kids won't eat if they changed everything' - I say don't make a healthy one - just make healthier one - pack a few carrots to go with the hummus instead of the crackers; do away with the lollies and have some dried fruit instead. You don't need to take it all on, just do one thing. Do this long enough over a period of time and you will not only be packing a mostly healthy lunch box, but your kids won't have even noticed it changed.

Just make it healthier.

Thank-you Kirsten Wig for your contribution to busting those myths. Let's move on to how lazy I am.

This is where I admit that I am lazy. Yep. I would love to be a mother who has things all sorted for the week and is perfectly organised. But I am not. To be honest I find when I try to be super organised; it actually stresses me out and into gargoyle mum.

This is why I personally find that working within a structure is awesome, freeing and makes life a little easier.

If I asked you to take 15sec and list as many white items as possible you are bound to get less than if I asked you to list as many white items in your fridge within 15sec.

Why?

Because we, as humans, remember more if things, like 'white items' are grouped together. How often do you have a house full of food, but trying to think what there is to put in those lunchboxes is a nightmare. It feels like we are scrounging to fill out their boxes. Half way through the day you stumble on something think, 'oh why didn't I think of putting that in little Johnny's school lunch today?'

Even when I am at the end of the week and there is no food in the house, I can still manage to easily come up with items to arrange in school lunches because of the structure I have in my mind.

Let me share how I think of school lunches (NOTE: this may not work for everyone, but it works for me - you maybe a full on planner and have it mapped out at the start of the week, if that is you - go for gold there is no one right way to approach this. This is just a way I have found make things easier for me)
The structure is made up of: Main, Fruit, Vege, Protein, Other
Including Rolls, Onigiri, make your own: It is a myth that sushi takes a lot of time. Go here for a few tips on how to make sushi. You don't need to get it perfect, kids don't notice if it is not.

Rolls: My eldest likes her roll simply cut in half while my boy loves it cut into portions like you see in the shops.

Onigiri (or rice ball): make a rice ball and part it. Add filling to centre then wrap up in cling film.

Make your own: simply put rice in big compartment with fillings in other compartments and put in some seaweed (if I have it, I will put in the smaller packet ones. You can get it at most super markets, but cheaper at most Asian supermarkets.

I always pack some sort of vegetables. Most of the time it is simply cut up vegetable sticks but sometimes it is a bit more. Here are some ideas:

Vegetables sticks/rounds/ basically a vegetable that is raw: carrot, cucumber, lettuce/spinach, tomatoes

Pickles: including olives, gherkins & small pickled onions

Celery logs: put some cream cheese or nut butter on the log - add raisins for 'ants on the log' (this is about as fancy as I get)

Kumara skins: When you peel your Kumara (or potatoes) at night, wash the skins and bake in oven on high heat with some oil and Himalayan They will go crispy and are a delish item that is normally thrown away.

Salt and vinegar carrots: For all the salt and vinegar kid lovers...Cut carrots into sticks and place in container with apple cider vinegar with some Himalayan salt. Marinate over night and you have a great S & V snack.

Kale Chips: Great way to get kids loving that touted green super food.

Sauerkraut: yes not for everyone, but is something that is staple in our house, simple because I am a huge believer in health beginning in the gut. It can take a little bit for children (and adults) to like the taste... but well worth the effort.

Keep them keen, add some protein:

Protein is a must for me. Giving protein can help keep children (and adults) satisfied for longer periods after eating: Here are few, simple ideas I have stashed away:

Hummus: good for dipping vegetable sticks in

Natural yoghurt: They have finally started making natural yoghurt in individual pottles- if kids have only ever had the sweeter yoghurts, add in frozen berries or even a small amount of honey to help them adjust to the less sugary taste of natural yoghurt.

Eggs: Boiled are easy, but you can also make an omelette if cooking is your thing in the morning...if not boil some eggs up with dinner at night and chuck them in the fridge ready for the next morning.

Homemade muesli: Mostly nuts (see recipe) so great for keeping them satisfied.

Nuts: Any will do, mine prefer pistachios at the moment, simply because they like opening them!

Cheese: Again don't be fancy, just cut a slice off your 1kg block.

Kids love Gastronomy, give them Autonomy:

NO.

Wal

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Why do we have so much trouble with school lunches? While I cannot directly offer you, who probably sits there with a host of noise, chaos and that shirking sound of "mum... mum... mum" (or dad) in the background, with specific advice about your individual situation. I

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Short tips/paragraphs with photos that could go in your school newsletter to get the message home to parents.

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Short tips/paragraphs with photos that could go in your school newsletter to get the message home to parents.

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A3 poster of waste free healthy lunch tips

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A3 poster of waste free healthy lunch tips

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This is a word doc. See below for links to the site this came from

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A3 Poster of photos/tips for creating a waste free lunch

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A3 Poster of photos/tips for creating a waste free lunch

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The New Zealand Footprint Print File for website

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Links to recycling bins available for purchase in NZ

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Links to recycling bins available for purchase in NZ

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Also the current rates deal with recycle bins for schools and links to articles - school waste

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Canterbury based business

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A website created by a Canterbury couple

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Due to the overwhelming and exciting global demand for Aardvark Paper Straws, we are currently experiencing extended lead times on some of our products. While we have been continually adding capacity and will continue to do so, the recent increase in demand has caused lead times to extend out to 4+ weeks at this time.

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Cheap, new, food grade material for the easiest sandwich wraps. No sewing required.

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Home / Nappy making fabrics / Food grade PUL white

$5.50 - $22.00

Description

Food grade PUL is ideal for making sandwich wraps and other items. It can also be used for cloth nappies, although please note that this pul is narrower than our other fabrics. This is wider than our previous food grade pul at 150 cm wide.

Food grade PUL

Our food grade PUL is manufactured in the USA and is CPSIA certified & food-safe waterproof medical fluid barrier. This polyureathane laminate covering is 1 mil and is a great light weight fabric, ideal for hidden layers in items and offers great waterproof protections. Specially designed for both medical and food use, this fabric is versatile. It contains no lead, BPA, phthalates or other harmful chemicals. Manufactured in an environmentally friendly, non-polluting factory.

Smaller items

As this fabric is narrower than our other PUL fabrics, it is perfect for smaller items, such as sandwich wraps, lunch bags, breast pads and cloth sanitary pads. It is light weight and breathable, which also makes it ideal for items that touch your babies skin. This PUL has been tested and routinely out performs other brands on the market, lasing in excess of 300 washes.

Sold in 50 x 50 cm, 1/2 metre or 1 metre lengths.

Creating with food safe PUL

As with all of our PUL products, you may want to have a look at our page with tips for working with PUL when you are creating with food safe PUL. Using pins can damage the fabric, so are best avoided, or only used in the seams where small holes will not effect the use of the fabric. It is best to use a ball point needle when sewing PUL fabric, as it is a knit fabric. The laminated side of the fabric can stick on your machine, so try to work with it away from the sewing machine foot, or use a Teflon coated foot for the job. You can also use sticky tape stuck to the underside of the foot for a similar non-stick effect.

Exclusive products

Special category of products

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Home / Nappy making fabrics / Food grade PUL white $5.50 - $22.00 Food grade PUL is ideal for making sandwich wraps and other items. It can also be used for cloth nappies, although please note that this pul is narrower than our other fabrics.

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Food Grade PUL sandwich wrap instructions

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Food Grade PUL sandwich wrap instructions

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Easiest cheapest homemade sandwich wrap.

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I've been promising some new tutorials for a while now and thought that it was about time I started posting them, starting with this no sew sandwich wrap tutorial.

You will need

Food safe PUL

Scissors

Tape measure or ruler

Kam snap pliers

Kam snaps

The no sew sandwich wrap tutorial

For the photos for this tutorial I am using our white food safe PUL, you could sew a patterned cotton to the outside of this to make it more interesting, or alternatively try our printed food safe PUL. First you will need to cut out a square of your PUL. I used a square 26 cm X 26 cm for a single sandwich (two slices of bread) and 30 cm x 30 cm for a double sandwich (four slices of bread).

Next I marked the position for the snaps, in one corner I marked approximately 2-2.5 cm from the edge.

On the opposite corner I marked three marks, the first at 2 -2.5 cm and the following two marks 2 cm and 4 cm after this.

If you are just using PUL, you will need to add a extra layer of fabric to re-enforce the snaps. For the row of three, I cut an extra layer of PUL and placed it under the snaps on the inside.

You can also do this on the single side, or you can be creative. I cut fabric in flower shapes to re-enforce the single snap, and to add a bit of decoration to the top of the wrap.

Once you have added your snaps, making sure that the cap for the row of three snaps faces the inside of the wrap, and the cap for the single snap faces the outside of the wrap, you are ready to use your wrap.

Place your sandwich on the centre of the wrap, fold the two corners that don't have snaps over the sandwich, and then fold the two corners with the snaps, snapping them closed as you do so.

There you have it, our very simple, no sew sandwich wrap tutorial.

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No sew sandwich wrap tutorial Minkylicious

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I've been promising some new tutorials for a while now and thought that it was about time I started posting them, starting with this no sew sandwich wrap tutorial.

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I am Eco packaging for school canteens/events

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I am Eco packaging for school canteens/events

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Note PLA plastics say they are recyclable but aren't in Dunedin and contaminate the recycling. Compostable - does break down in traditional compost. Would be best to mulch first, but will just take longer if not. "Biodegradable" plastic needs an industrial compost in which there is not one in Dunedin - avoid!

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Waste free lunch tips to add to school newsletters

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Waste free lunch tips to add to school newsletters

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Make your own treats rather than buying them packaged