Inspire Me

8 ideas for creating allergen-free school lunchboxes

Kids with food intolerances often miss out, but in 2023 there’s no reason they should! This selection of allergen-free lunchbox ideas (including gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free recipes) ensures there’s something for everyone.
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Tips for making creative lunchboxes:

  • Consider where your child’s lunch will be kept during the morning – if it’s warm, bacteria will grow in the food, particularly if it contains meat and dairy products. Putting an icepack in the lunchbox will keep the food fresh and cool. Freezing a drink and putting it in the lunchbox also works well.

  • The range of specialist lunchbox snacks are greater than ever. For example, Free From Gluten Biscuits are vegan and dairy, lactose and egg free. You can also get gluten-free cakes and slices, dairy-free yoghurt pouches – the options are endless.

  • Got a picky eater? Children most certainly eat with their eyes, so make the lunch look fun by using cookie cutters to shape sandwiches, threading fruit onto skewers or perhaps including a sauce or dip.

  • Save money – and plastic – by buying products in bulk and decanting into mini containers, rather than purchasing pre-packed snack packs.

  • Make use of your freezer. Muffins and pies freeze well, as do some basic filled sandwiches; simply pop in your child’s lunchbox and they’ll be thawed by lunchtime.

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Have some fun assembling these delicious sushi cones by Good Food. A few drops of your favourite soy sauce, some sliced pickled ginger and just a touch of wasabi and you’re good to go.
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asparagus frittata
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Make the most of summer asparagus with this quick and easy gluten-free frittata. You could also add a handful of thinly sliced swiss brown mushrooms when you cook the asparagus – the opportunities are endless!
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