Isabella turned 5 mid way through December and had less than a week at school in 2012. She starts again with me in early February.For most of her 4 years in child care Isabella's food has been provided. When I first went back to work I provided all her food while she was with a "Porse Carer" (in home child care) but as she got older she had food provided by her carers.
Her first carer was a fabulous woman called Minakshi and her family. There Isabella developed an insatiable appetite for Indian Roti.
Most recently at Kindy her food was provided. While I'm not totally convinced about the nutritional value of every thing she ate (she told me recently that she loved tinned fruit salad with condensed milk that they had a Kindy), at least I knew she was eating and that I didn't have to 'magic up' a lunch and snacks each day for her.
So to cut a very long explanation short I am back to preparing snacks and lunch for her each week day for school.
I've managed to find a lunch box system that doesn't need glad wrap or paper which really pleases my 'green' side. It has lots of little compartments and containers that fit together and best of all it came from the Supermarket. We found the original website in Australia and had a few 'extras' sent to my Brother and sister in law in Sydney so we are now all set to go.
What is going to be a challenge is finding a balance between healthy balanced snacks and lunches and quick and easy things to put together.
On my suggestion her Kindy started getting the children who were close to turning 5 to make their own sandwiches some days then eating them for lunch. A great start for Isabella and I as she is now very happy with simple sandwiches...I just have to try to wean her away from white bread.
I've started hunting for ideas and 'pinning' them on Pintrest and today made the first one.The cheesy crackers had a bit more sugar than I would have liked but I figure that if I can get Bella eating them and liking them I can reduce the sugar next time.
I really liked that these had LSA - Linseed, Sesame and Almond in them as I try to include LSA in baking when I can.
They are made a bit like biscotti - a bit time consuming but really easy.
My plan is to freeze them and put a couple in her lunch box frozen in the morning. That way they should be fine by morning tea or lunchtime.
The end result was great. I'm tempted to put them aside for adult snacks with cheeses and dips!
I'll make a double batch next time. the single batch made about 50 small cracker sized snacks.
Hopefully there will be more healthy lunchbox ideas to come.
Mini Cheese Crackers
1 Cup wholemeal pl flour
3/4 cup white pl flour
1/2 teasp baking powder
2 large eggs
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tblsp LSA mix
1 egg white lightly beaten
Sift the flours and baking powder into a bowl. Beat the eggs and sugar until thick, pale and doubled in bulk....use electric beaters!!
Using a large metal spoon fold in flours, cheeses and LSA mix. Do not overmix.
Knead gently on a lightly floured surface to bring dough together..add extra water if required.
Divide the mix into thirds and roll into 3 logs. Place logs onto greased trays and brush with egg white.
Bake in moderate oven(180 degrees) for 20 mins, turn over and bake for another 10 minutes or until firm and light brown. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes. Reduce oven to 160 degrees.
Slice each log very thinly into slices. Place the slices back onto lined trays in a single layer and cook for further 20 mins or until crisp and dry.
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