With the cost of living at an all-time high, filling your child’s lunchbox is likely becoming another strain. I actually thought I was seeing things in the cereal aisle during some recent back-to-school prep. A box of cornflakes was labelled €5 and a pack of baked fruit bars cost €6.
According to the Central Statistics Office, the cost of food in Ireland increased 10.2 per cent in June 2023 compared with the same month in the previous year. And the cereal aisle showed me the blunt reality.
However, in the middle of all the crazy prices, I noticed that my trusted porridge oats have remained at €1. They’ve been an old reliable for years and they’re still serving me well. It got me thinking that maybe they (and other store cupboard staples) could help to ease the back-to-school burden.
While many pre-packed lunch items are really poor value (both financially and nutritionally), ingredients such as oats can be an affordable and nutritious solution. And with just a little prep you can set yourself up with tasty baked lunchbox bites for the week ahead.
I know time is of the essence for busy parents, so I’ve made sure my simple bakes take no more than 50 minutes. By getting the kids involved, you’ll be helping them to learn vital skills that will serve them well through life. Regular time in the kitchen means they’ll eventually be able to tackle suitable recipes alone.
Before we get to the recipes, here are a few little tips to save money on lunches:
- Look at what you already have in the press: oats, raisins, flour, fruit, eggs, and cereal are a great base for home-made bakes.
- Make a list of your tried and tested successes and use them again and again.
- Let kids take control of what goes into the lunchbox (and encourage them to help prepare/bake it). Even a choice of two options helps children to feel in control and there’ll be a higher chance of the food getting eaten. As the founder of the One Yummy Mummy Family Cooking Club, I’m an enthusiast about getting kids into the kitchen. If they’re involved in making a lunchbox bake they’ll feel so proud of themselves and might even inspire their friends to do the same.
And now for the food. Below are four of my favourite simple bakes to get you through the first weeks of school.
Yoghurt, oat and raisin loaf
This is a great recipe for children to help with because you use the yoghurt pot as a measure.
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees/180 degrees fan/gas mark 6.
- Add 500g of natural yogurt to a large mixing bowl.
- Using the yoghurt pot as a measure, add 2 pots full of porridge oats and a teaspoon of baking powder to the bowl. Use a wooden spoon to give a good mix.
- Add a drizzle of honey, a handful of raisins and a pinch of cinnamon.
- Spoon the mixture into a lined 2lb loaf tin.
- Bake for 40 minutes keeping the oven door shut throughout.
- Poke a skewer gently into the middle of the cake. If it comes out looking clean, then you know the cake is cooked through.
- Leave the cake to cool in the tin. Slice it up, spread on some butter and add it to your lunch box.
Banana and apple slices
These can use up the fruit that has travelled to school and back the previous week – saving more money and preventing food waste.
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees/160 degrees fan/gas mark 4.
- Line a 13 x 9 inch baking tray with greaseproof paper.
- Mash two bananas and peel and grate two apples. Add all the fruit to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix in 100g raisins and 200g rolled oats.
- Crack in one egg and add 100g melted butter, 3 tablespoons of maple syrup and 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence.
- Pour the mixture on to your baking tray, spreading it out evenly to the edges
- Bake for 20 mins.
- Once cooled, slice the cake up and add it to your lunch box. These will keep up to four days in an airtight container.
Mini cheddar scones
A bitesize alternative to sandwiches.
- Preheat the oven to 220 degrees/200 degrees fan/gas mark 7.
- Sift 325g self-raising flour, a teaspoon of baking powder and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl.
- Rub in 75g butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
- Mix in most of 150g of mature cheddar cheese. Keep a small amount back to sprinkle on top.
- Beat one egg and 150ml milk together in a jug.
- Gradually pour most of this (keep a tiny amount back for brushing on the scones later) into the mixing bowl to make a soft, but not sticky, dough. Use a wooden spoon to mix everything together.
- Flour your hands a little, then knead the dough lightly for a few moments in the bowl.
- Turn the dough on to a floured surface. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll it to about 2.5cm thick.
- Dip a 4.5cm round cutter into flour. Cut out scones. Gently press leftover dough pieces together and repeat to make a total of 20 scones.
- Brush the tops with a little egg mixture and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, until well risen and golden brown. Cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. These scones will keep in an air-tight container for a week.
Carrot and apricot flapjacks
Fruity and flavoursome, these are bound to be a breaktime favourite.
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees/180 degrees fan/gas mark 6.
- Line an 18cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper.
- Melt 200g butter with 100g golden syrup and 50g soft light brown sugar in a large pan.
- Add the following to a large mixing bowl: 300g rolled oats, two grated carrots, zest of one orange, 100g of diced apricots, a pinch of cinnamon and 50g pumpkin seeds.
- Pour the warm butter and syrup mixture into the mixing bowl.
- Stir everything well, then pack the mixture into the prepared tin, pushing it down firmly.
- Bake for 40 mins. Let it cool in the tin before slicing it into 16 squares.