Back to School
Every year ends and comes again and with the new year comes the new school year. A new start to busy week days, a new start to school lunches that end up in the bottom of the kid’s school bag and the usual panic of what to cook for your family come sun down. Sunshine Coast Organic Meats is prepared to help you with all of the problems that herald in the new year. Not only can we complement your busy schedule by delivering food straight to your door, we also have compiled a few helpful hands-off, weeknight recipes and school lunch recipes to get you out the door in the mornings and settled at the dinner table in the evening before a delicious meal.
In the lunchbox
Though Autumn is just around the corner in March, there are still many hot summer days stretching before us at school. Kid’s lunches sit in their bags for a few hours before the lunch break, and then are necessary to boost their brain power and energy to carry them through the day. A balanced meal is just as important during the day as in the evening, which is why a child’s lunch box is best filled with fresh fruit and vegetables, filling nutritious-packed meals and easy snacks for later in the day. Good Harvest is our suggestion for fresh, organic and local produce, but any local grocer will be able to provide your child with seasonal fresh fruit.
Pit fruits like nectarines and peaches, which are in season, promote healthy muscles, improve digestion and fill your child with natural energy to boost them through your day. Melons are also a summer seasonal fruit which are high in vitamin C and potassium, similar to Bananas. Carrot, celery and tomatoes are high sources of fibre, hydration and vitamin K. Including two serves of fruit and vegetables in a child’s lunch box ensures they receive vital nutrients of a balanced diet.
A larger, denser meal containing protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates for energy is vital to help a child’s brain power through the day. Deli meats like ham are higher in protein and lower in fat, and last well on a grain-bread sandwhich with lettuce, spinach or other salad bits. It can be best to serve wet ingredients like sauce and tomato seperate to keep the bread fresh and dry. Sandwiches, wraps and other quick meals are great with salami, silverside or turkey. It is important to be mindful when purchasing deli meats for your children that they’re free or low in preservatives and as natural as the meat can get. Commercially made processed meats can be full of chemicals which can have negative effects on the body.
Good the next day, too
A clever way to bulk your child’s lunchbox, and reduce time and food waste too, is to use left overs from dinner for your child’s lunch. Dinners like our Mexican Chicken Bowl are great the next day, full of proteins and fibre, and still bursting with flavour. Our beef stew can be eaten the next day as a great source of protein and easy vegetable portions. Spaghetti bolognese, meat and vegetable skewers and stir fry can all be eaten the next day to boost energy, help with muscle regeneration and encourage brain activity.
Winner, Winner, Slow Cooked Dinner
The hack for using leftovers from dinner for your child’s lunch is an easy way to shave time and stress off from your day, but there are more ways you can free up time in your day. A slow cooker is an excellent way to set, forget and enjoy a tasty, nutritious meal come dinner time. Slow cookers are great for marinating and softening meat like pork and chicken for rice bowls, wraps and salads. Mince can be prepped ahead of time in the slow cooker for pies, spaghetti bolognese or tacos.
As well as preparing ahead with slow cooked meals, you can harness the power of the freezer. At Sunshine Coast Organic Meats, we sell chef made ready meals for the busy evenings. If you have yesterday's left overs, you can portion out and freeze those meals to pull, heat and enjoy when you have what feels like no time to spare.
Whatever you do, we can support you with online ordering, home delivery and scheduled meat delivery with our meat club.
Check out the recipes featured in this blog, including our new pure-chicken tenders for delicious snacks in your children’s lunch box and easy addition to your dinner rotation.
