While the school holidays mean we can take a collective break from the daily grind of school lunch boxes, there’s no better time than now to get organised for the upcoming school term. And what better way to do this than by freezing sandwiches and recess snacks now – we promise it’ll be a real game changer!
Use your lunch box making time wisely!
It’s ALWAYS time well spent to get ahead on the lunch box game. Just one afternoon of lunchbox prep can bring weeks of easy-breezy school mornings. Take a look at the kids’ lunch box ideas below and start planning your prep.
Of course, freshly made sandwiches will always be the first choice BUT if you want to save time in the mornings, these frozen options come a very close second.
Keep on reading for freezable sandwich fillings PLUS loads of freezer lunch box options (and recipes) too.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”Freezing Tips:”]
- Make sure your bread is bought fresh the same day you plan on freezing it. You can use white, multigrain, wholegrain, and even bread rolls or baguettes! Flatbreads like wraps and pita pockets become quite fragile after being frozen so for the sake of a crumb-free lunch, I suggest avoiding them.
- How you wrap is important. You can stuff the sandwiches back in the original bread bag or use a zip-lock sandwich bag, but the BEST way to wrap a sandwich for freezing is to tightly wrap it with plastic wrap. You want to avoid a loose wrap!
- Freeze sandwiches on a flat tray so they don’t get stuck in the wire grooves of the freezer shelf. Keep all your freezer lunches in one area or zone of your freezer so they’re easy to find.
- Make sure you use butter as it acts as a ‘seal’ for your bread and helps prevent any sogginess!
- AVOID using fresh salad ingredients like tomato, lettuce, cucumbers – anything with high water content – it won’t hold up well to being frozen. You can add that in fresh on the day.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”Sandwich fillings you can freeze:”]
- Nut butter such as peanut butter, almond butter or even chocolate hazelnut spread
- Ham and cheese
- Cream cheese
- Devon/fritz and sauce
- Curried egg
- Cream cheese and salmon
- Chutney, gherkins and relishes
- Spreads such as Vegemite, Marmite and jam
- Cooked, shredded chicken and smashed avocado
- Sliced turkey and cranberry sauce
- Lamb, cheese and tomato sauce or chutney
- Roast chicken and mayonnaise
- Beef, cheese and relish
- Mettwurst / Salami and cheese
- Meatballs and cheese
[mc_block_title custom_title=”Other freezable school lunch ideas include:”]
- Meatloaf (cook in a loaf tin and slice into portions)
- Zucchini slice (slice and wrap into portions)
- Quiche (slice and wrap in portions)
- Savoury muffins (wrap individually)
- Fried rice (can be eaten cold as a salad or heat it up and pop it in a Thermos Food Jar)
- Sausage rolls with sneaky extra veg (can be heated up and put in a Thermos Food Jar)
- Soup (freeze in cup portions or ice cube trays, serve hot in Thermos Food Jar)
[mc_block_title custom_title=”Freezable snack ideas that are perfect for recess”]
- Muesli bars
- Banana cake
- Pikelets
- Yoghurt cake
- Muffins
- Mini quiches
- Pizza pinwheels
You can even freeze yoghurt or smoothies in reusable pouches like these Sinchies or small plastic bottles which help keep lunch boxes cool, plus they’re defrosted by lunchtime to slurp. YUM!
With these delicious freezable kids’ lunch box ideas, together with a little bit of prep, you will be well on your way to an organised start to the next school term.
REMEMBER: Don’t forget to defrost overnight in the fridge during the colder months. During summer, sandwiches usually defrost before the lunch bell rings.
We look forward to all the parents being able to enjoy their morning cuppa for that little bit longer, knowing school lunchboxes are DONE. Let us know what you decide to cook, we’d love to hear.
