Lockdown lunch ideas- a thread to share quick and easy lunch ideas for the family

[FlatteredRhubardFool]

Hi, I have 3 vegetarian dc and lunch is the most awkward meal of the day here. No one seems to like the same thing and it drives me bonkers.
I thought a thread for lunch ideas might be beneficial for lots of people who are now having to make lunches every day (mine were on school meals) and finding it hard going.

Mine don't eat eggs either just to make things more difficult 🙄 although they eat them in things like pancakes and cake.

How old are they? If they're old enough to choose to be vegetarian (assuming that is a choice and it's not a family thing?) they can surely fix themselves a sandwich. My 7 and 5 year old do most of their own, I set out the options (bread, a couple of filling options e.g. falafels or cheese slices, some spreads, some veggies, a chopping board) and they make their own and I keep a vague eye on them while I work / clean / supervise the toddler. Much less hassle and way more.likely to find something they like. If it means 3 days of pickle sandwiches, that's fine as I do veg-heavy and varied dinners, lots of.bologneses, stir.frys etc. Or I make cold pasta and give them things to.stir in.

Otherwise I do leftovers quite often, but generally prefer to keep those.for.dinners, so I'm not cooking twice a day.

Pickle! Thank you that's something I wanted to try them with fir ages but because I e not physically been to do a weekly shop for nearly a year then I keep forgetting.
They are 6, 12, and 14 or very nearly as birthdays coming up. They absolutely trash the kitchen if they do things themselves and I'm making my own lunch so would naturally make their lunch too. We are all veggie. I quite like the idea of chopping and slicing and setting things out for them to concoct their own sandwich/cracker/wrap creation. Dd1 is a Nutella fiend, dd2 Philadelphia and ds likes a variety of things.

I should probably chop cucumber and carrot sticks and put them in a tub the night before ready. I'm planning on baking fruity snacks as dd2 isn't great with fruit but funnily enough is great with baked goods contains fruit

If they trash the kitchen, surely they're old enough to clean it again, or you can be pretty clear that you won't start to make dinner until they do? Also, they are easily old enough to make your lunch as well - it could actually be fun for them to be in charge too. Mine help make dinner at least once a week (and my 7 year old can make a soup by himself, except for the pouring and blending bits), and they choose the ingredients etc in advance when I'm doing my.ahop, it helps me and gives them some responsibility and independence.

Maybe it's because I'm from a country where children take on responsibility earlier, but I'm always a bit surprised.here - by 14 I was caring for baby siblings by myself for a whole day, I'm not sure I'd want that for my own kids (and definitely not for my babies!) but do think it's good.for entire families when we expect our children to be a contributing member of the family.

I alternate between toasties, baked potatoes, make your own pizzas and soup and sandwiches. There are also some Christmas leftover bits I put out and everyone gets some fruit. They were sorting themselves out but it was getting ridiculous- full fry ups etc so now they have a tick list and I put it together as it helps me manage the shopping better.

@OverTheRubicon I like your thinking! Dd2 is a great baker and both dds can make bread, baguettes, croissants, grilled cheese, sandwiches, soup, crackers, scrambled eggs (only one of them will eat that though along with omelet). They tend to take forever to do things though and they inherited the Flattered messy cook and baker gene.

Today I've asked them all to think about what they'd like for lunches and dinners and they've all been on the shopping app adding things.

I make my own pizza bases so that takes hours and is fine for dinner. I wonder if they freeze once ready to cook? I'd prefer cold and quick lunches during the week.

It's a work in progress getting them to take more responsibility for things. At their dads they don't have to lift a finger so they aren't keen on helping here. They are getting better though. Little one can make a mean pizza with help as long as I've made the dough and marinara sauce.

I tried this in Lockdown #1 and then decided life was too short / brain was too full / I preferred spending time on dinners so just had a formula and stuck to it.

Sandwich
Box of veg sticks cut up (did enough for a few days at a time)
Crisps
Apple / grapes / melon
Flapjack / cereal bar / penguin type biscuit

It saved my sanity

Yep, I need to be more organised. Lockdown#1 involved them each having a Tupperware container with their snacks for the day so that they were in charge of it and not constantly asking for food. This time they have a far more structured day with home school/online lessons so they'll get a morning snack and after school snack in there and water bottles will be filled with ice added to keep them cool. They can have crisps with their lunch as otherwise there's packets left everywhere. Messy horrors.

Mine love leftovers if there are any, or something on toast (egg, beans, curry, cheesey leeks). Also a fan of toasties and quesadillas. Today we had roasted red pepper soup with cheesey garlic bread.

I tend to find varying the bread option really takes the boredom out of sandwich type lunches. E.g, do wraps instead of a sandwich, or toast some pitta breads to have with some houmous etc.

Watching this for ideas!

• we had lately cuscous with roasted veggies. Yummy and light enough for lunch
• if they like cheese, hopefully they will like pickle and chutneys with it? Or piccalilly? I put vegan ham slices with it, in wraps or sandwiches, with tomatoe and salad, and mayo or salad cream. I use chicken quorn nuggets in wraps. They are yummy
• quorn makes some yummy bits, the scotch eggs, the thai aromatic bits.
• sausages and bacon sandwiches are yummy, you can use the ham slices too, they are good slightly fried

Living mainly on pasta salad here as they're so bloody fussy and it's all they'll eat lol!
Apart from pasta they'll have

• jacket potatoes with beans and cheese (I do it the "lazy way" ie cut a cross in, stab all over with a knife so it cooks evenly and approx 5 - 6 mins in the microwave depending on spud size)

• soup and buttered bread

• sandwiches (cheese and cucumber, or you could do egg mayo or hummus)

• bacon or sausage sandwiches are also something they love but if you're veggie maybe try veggie sausages or bacon

Big pot of soup and they can have crackers/bread/sandwiches with it.

Ramen soup is a really easy one. Just veg and ramen boiled.

Falafel, hummus and apple sauce wrap is a favourite of mine too.

My idea of a nutritious dinner! (Only kidding)

Following with interest!

Vegeburgers with salad or veggie hotdogs
Homemade Pizzas
Veg curry or Dahl with flatbread
Make a big lot of veggie chilli and they just heat it up in microwave
Burritos
Cheese & onion/tomato toastie

Beans on toast - with or without cheese.
Toasties
Soup
Leftovers with noodles.

I like the falafel, humous and apple sauce mix. I will give it a try

Yes to ramen soup! You have reminded me that I have some miso paste in the cupboards! And tofu too!

Peanut butter - with sliced apple; in a sandwich with jam; on toast with banana; on corn cakes
Leftover sushi rice from the night before with nori and cashew nuts
Quick pasta (angel hair) with leftover whatever
Many iterations of a "picky plate" - crackers, protein of choice (cheese, nuts, egg, etc, some veg, some fruit

If they eat soup, that's the answer. You can put any kind of vegetables in it and as long as you don't add cream, it's healthy and freezes well. You can make different varieties, and also serve with different types of bread and breadsticks to mix it up.

It's also low enough calorie to be able to allow for a 'treat' afterwards.

I bought them an afternoon tea this week as I was out of inspiration (local woman makes/delivers), but in reality it was just finger sarnies and cakes! They ate it though :). Otherwise we basically do same as everyone else above.

I like serving the main meal at lunchtime and the snack meal at night.

The supermarket fresh pasta (as it cooks quickly) with a tub of pesto thrown in.

Wholemeal muffins, toasted and then with tuna (with a bit of balsamic vinegar mixed in to sweeten it up a but) topped with cheese (the ready grated stuff) then under the grill for a few minutes.