Lunchbox snacks

Lunchbox snacks

Keep hunger pangs at bay with these healthy, yummy lunchbox nibbles

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Preparation and cooking times

Total time

Method

  1. Bean dip with veggie sticks 5 of 5-a-day, low fat. Whizz 215g can drained butterbeans, squeeze lemon juice, 1 small crushed garlic clove, 1 tbsp each chopped parsley and mint, 2 tsp olive oil and 1 tbsp water. Serve with vegetable dippers made from 1 celery stick, 1 carrot and ½ red pepper - wrap in a damp piece of kitchen paper to stop them drying out (serves 1).
  2. Raspberry banana smoothie Whizz 85g raspberries together with 1 chopped banana and 150ml orange juice until smooth (serves 1).
  3. Cinnamon custard plums Put 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp butter, 2 quartered plums, few drops vanilla extract, pinch ground cinnamon and 2 tsp water in a dish. Cover with cling film, pierce, microwave for 3 mins on High. Once cooled, put fruit in a container and spoon 2-3 tbsp custard on top. Seal and refrigerate (serves 1).
  4. Apricot yogurt granola pots Mix 200g oats, 2 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a baking tray. Spread out and bake at 200C/180C fan/ gas 6 for 7 mins. Stir, bake for 7 mins more. Cool. Mix with 150g dried fruits (enough for 8 servings). For one serving, mix 100ml natural yogurt with 1 tbsp sugar-free apricot jam in a container. Store granola in an airtight container and portion into a small bag when packing lunchbox.
  5. Carrot & pineapple muffins Sift together 140g self-raising flour, 85g wholemeal flour (reserving about 2 tbsp of the bran), ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda, 2 tsp ground cinnamon and a pinch salt. In another bowl, beat 150ml sunflower oil with 100g golden caster sugar. Add 200g mashed cooked carrots, 3 canned pineapple slices, cut into cubes, 2 tbsp pineapple juice from the can, 1 egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Mix in 50g sunflower seeds. Fold dry mix into the wet one. Cut out a dozen 10cm squares of baking parchment and place in the holes of a muffin tin. Spoon mixture into tin, sprinkle with bran and a few sunflower seeds. Bake at 200C/ 180C fan/gas 6 for 20-25 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool (makes 12).
Try

Transporting your snacks

Freeze a carton of juice or a smoothie to keep the rest of the lunchbox cool - it should defrost by lunchtime, ready for drinking. A mini thermos is a great way to keep food warm and lets you send your child to school with all kinds of soups and stews during the colder months.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, September 2009.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • Binder photo Elektricia

    01 November 2009

    Elektricia commented on this recipe

    I really really love the carrot pineapple muffins. The recipe is 'strange' the oil and the carrots mixture looks horrible. It was a step in faith... However, they came out beautifully. I also like the idea to cut your own muffin cases, as it were, make them look really authentic and rustic. Do try, you won't be dissappointed.

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  • Binder photo Elektricia

    01 November 2009

    Elektricia rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Oops, forgot to rate... five stars easily!

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  • Binder photo Ali S

    11 November 2009

    Ali S rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    We all loved the smoothie, including our 4 year old. I used defrosted raspberries from the freezer section of the supermarket. Hubby even made an extra batch up and took it to work with him for breakfast (it MUST be good - he never usually remembers to pick his lunch up!)

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  • Binder photo Jasmine

    02 June 2010

    Jasmine commented on this recipe

    really good ideas!

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  • Binder photo naeve

    23 June 2010

    naeve rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Great idea! Lunchtimes can be very repetitve, but not anymore!

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  • Binder photo Winteringham

    25 August 2010

    Winteringham rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Great ideas - can we have more please??

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  • Binder photo Lisa TK

    05 January 2011

    Lisa TK rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Great ideas. I love the butterbean dip. Almost persuaded the littlies that it isn't as poisonous as hummus! We're off to make muffins.

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  • Binder photo Chloe

    31 January 2012

    Chloe rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Made the muffins yesterday for my weeks lunch. Very yummy! Will be definitely making again and possibly mixing up the recipe a little.

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  • Binder photo annabanana

    22 March 2012

    annabanana rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I made the carrot and pineapple muffins using some oats in the mixture and on top as I didn't have any wholemeal flour or seeds, still worked really well! The result was a really fluffy and tasty muffin, although I have to say this recipe is a bit cumbersome having to boil the carrots first.

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  • Binder photo sinead

    04 April 2012

    sinead rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    those muffins are FABULOUS! i think i'll start cooking extra carrots on a regular basis just to have them handy. i tried the cutting out 10cm squares of baking paper to use but that didn't work out - they were too small for the muffin tin. i used regular muffin cases instead and they were perfect size. i made the bean dip too - the recipe was just missing a bit of salt for my taste. very yummy and will be making again

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  • Binder photo nannon

    14 April 2012

    nannon rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    These muffins were good but did need longer than 25 mins. Can we have the calories etc in these like there usually is at the bottom if the recipe?? Thanks

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  • Binder photo nannon

    14 April 2012

    nannon commented on this recipe

    These muffins were good but did need longer than 25 mins. Can we have the calories etc in these like there usually is at the bottom if the recipe?? Thanks

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  • Binder photo Pixiewithattitude

    22 August 2012

    Pixiewithattitude commented on this recipe

    Cook lots of carrots in one go, use what you need then freeze the rest like pureed baby food.

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  • Binder photo Eating Chrisi

    20 December 2012

    Eating Chrisi rated this recipe

    5 stars

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Preparation and cooking times

Total time

Ingredients

  • bean dip with veggie sticks
  • raspberry banana smoothie
  • cinnamon custard plums
  • apricot yogurt granola pots
  • carrot & pineapple muffins (all ingredients for recipes below)
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