school lunch boxes

[surprisenumber3]

seem to spend a fortune on DS's lunches for school, any ideas on keeping the costs down?

DS1 has a smoothie at break-time, DS2 has fruit and milk.

In their lunch box they insist on apple juice and I always give a piece of fruit. To try and cut down costs I have been just putting this and sandwiches and a small treat but they end up eating the treat and
not the fruit. Previously put little tubs of mixed fresh fruit, jellies, cakes, yogurts, raisins, pieces of cheese and crackers (DS1's fave) etc but it got expensive.

Is juice, sandwiches (white bread, ham or chicken), a biscuit bar and a piece of fruit okay??

They have a healthy brekkie and always have veg or salad with their tea, but I am really struggling with these sandwich boxes!

Please inspire me!

Jelly - make up your own and divide into pots

Melon - use a melon baller to get all the melon and divide up for the week.

custard into small pots

banana loaf or gingerbread made at home and frozen so you have a choice in the moring - if you want the recipe just say.

pasta with pesto and sweetcorn and peas

Rice nddles with carrots, sweetcorn and sweet chilli sauce.

oooh - banana loaf recipe please!

and melon...DS1 loves melon!

Thank you!

Banana Loaf ? Best Ever

4oz butter
4 oz brown sugar (use any color)
1 egg
1Ilb banana
3 tbsp yogurt, any flavor or plain or crème fraise
1 tsp vanilla ess
8 oz plain flour
1 tsp bicarb
1 tsp cinnamon
4 oz raisins

Gas 4 oven with shelf in middle
Grease and line a 7x11 loaf tin

Put the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat together ? or put in food processor and push button. Then add egg and beat till smooth. Add banana?s if doing by hand mash first, if in and push processor then just chop them into the bowl button. Add yogurt and vanilla essence.

Sift in the flour, bicarb, cinnamon and push button or stir.

Finally add the raisins (don?t push button as the raisins will disappear!!) just mix in with a spoon and then pour the mixture into the bread /loaf tin and level off with a shake and put in the oven for one hour and twenty mins ? check a cocktail stick comes out clean and it is cooked.

Turn out and let it cool. Then cut into slices and put each slice in a freezer bag ? pop in the freezer and use when required Ideal for pack ? ups as the slice of loaf will have defrosted by lunch time.

Try using dried blueberries or cranberries instead or aswell as the sultanas. This cake does keep well in a tin and will mature with age ? if ever allowed.

mine had a sandwich, yoghurt (petit type - 50p for 6 at netto), fruit and/or veg (carrot/raisins/grapes/banana), sometimes a bun or a couple of biscuits (if ds2 & grandma have been baking) sometimes crips (hula hoops or skips), water.