When Rachelle and I were discussing opportunities to work together, I knew exactly what I was going to write about and exactly what recipe I wanted to share. Why? Because this year has (already!) been such a huge year for me as a parent and business owner, for my family and also for my future! What has brought this on, you might ask? School! My big boy Lucas started school this year along with hundreds and thousands of other primary school newbies and at one stage I found myself sitting back just going wow.
The Baby Bistro journey started when Lucas just a babe – and now he is off discovering the world for himself, eating bigger foods, playing bigger games, dreaming up bigger dreams…
It also means my routine has changed – and I don’t just mean the eternal uniform struggle, or mad dashes out of the house to make it to school on time – I mean the food. Baby Bistro started when Lucas was starting solids: Lucas needed solids so Mama made him some. Then Mama made it into a business. When Lucas started developing the need for more texture, flavour and more variety, Mama made that too. Now, Lucas needs a lunch box 5 days a week and so Mama got to work on making that healthy, simple and quick! And now Mama is getting ready to launch Big Eats by Baby Bistro.
Each morning when I pack Lucas’ lunch box, and get Thomas ready for day care I think about how much has changed (and yes, it catches me in the feels many a day!). Gone are the hundred tubs of baby food with nappy wipes and bibs filling bag upon bag, now I just have this neat little box to fill up with goodness so the boys have energy to play and learn. In saying that, I still have to put plenty of thought and effort into what I pop into these neat little packages – if not more because they are very independent (VERY independent) little boys and like to make their own choices. So I would like to share with you my top 5 tips to creating an enjoyable, healthy lunch box that actually gets eaten! And below, I have shared a very special, fun and super-pretty Bento Box for lunch with healthy choices and a colourful selection!
Top 5 tips for a healthy lunch box
- Ditch the traditional sandwich and switch it with a flatbread roll. Many commercial breads are loaded with refined sugars.
- Say goodbye to overly salty, processed chips and replace with dehydrated fruit. They still get the texture and feel like a treat but it’s a healthier version
- Think brain food – Carrot / cucumber sticks add a nice fresh crunch
- Aim for natural sugars – include a piece of fruit in every lunchbox
- Let them choose one item themselves. They need to learn about making food choices and I find it a great way to get my boys to try new things by also giving him the independence and freedom to pick something they want, while offering balance.
Flat bread Bento lunch box by Baby Bistro
Ingredients for a healthy and delicious spread…
1 can chickpeas drained
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons baby bistro carrot purée
Squeeze lemon juice
Sprinkle Cumin powder (to taste)
Easy as 1, 2 ,3!
Pop all above ingredients into a food processor and blend until a nice smooth yet textured spread.
Spread onto your mountain bread then add your “sushi” fillings. We used cucumber, avocado, ham, chopped egg, and a few more – but you can use your imagination! Roll up tight and slice into small, mouth sized pieces. The rolls may unwind a little depending on fillings so be gentle (TIP: slice everything nice and thin to help the fillings move with the bread more and try to prevent unwrapping!)
While it makes a very pretty lunch box, you could also try this when entertaining at home, at a BBQ, for a Sunday picnic with the family or really, anywhere!
Sevi @babybistro
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